UC-NRLF 


THE  LIBRARY 

OF 
THE  UNIVERSITY 

OF  CALIFORNIA 


Biology  Library 

BEQUEST  OF 


Theodore   S.   Palmer 


/G 


Transactions  of  The  Academy  of  Science  of  St.  Louis, 


VOL,.  XXIII.  Xo.  8. 


BIRDS  OF  THE  KANSAS  CITY  REGION. 


HARRY  HARRIS. 


Issued  February  27,  1919. 


M8H3 


INTRODUCTION. 

The  following  list  of  birds  contains  those  species  which  have 
been  noted  in  the  vicinity  of  Kansas  City,  Missouri.  Most  of 
the  birds  listed  have  been  seen  in  Jackson  County,  Missouri,  but 
the  ground  covered  by  the  list  includes  Clay  and  Platte  Coun- 
ties, Missouri,  and  Johnson  County,  Kansas.  The  extreme  limits 
of  the  region  covered  by  the  notes  used  in  the  preparation  of  the 
list  are  Warrensburg,  Missouri,  Johnson  County,  forty-seven 
miles  (as  the  Crow  flies)  from  Kansas  City,  Corning,  Missouri, 
Holt  County,  ninety-four  miles  from  Kansas  City,  and  Douglas 
County,  Kansas,  twenty-eight  miles  from  Kansas  City. 

Kansas  City  itself  is  on  the  Missouri  River,  .at  its  junction 
with  the  Kansas,  or  Kaw  River,  in  Lat.  39,  Long.  94  30'.  The 
Missouri  River  makes  a  sharp  turn  to  the  east  here.  It  is  bor- 
dered on  the  south  by  bluffs  of  loess  and  cliffs  of  limestone 
which  rise  to  a  height  of  more  than  250  feet  above  the  river. 
On  the  north,  in  Clay  County,  there  is  a  broad  flood  plain,  bor- 
dered at  some  distance  from  the  river  by  cliffs.  These  alterna- 
tions of  bluff,  cliff,  sand  bar  and  flood  plain  are  characteristic 
of  the  Missouri  River  throughout  its  course  in  the  region  above 
defined.  Where  small  streams  find  their  way  to  the  river,  a 
"draw"  winds  for  a  short  distance  back  of  the  bluffs.  The 
bluffs  and  the  "draws"  are  richly  clothed  with  pawpaw  and 
red  bud,  wild  grape  and  black  maple,  the  haunts  of  the  Car- 
dinal and  the  Carolina  Wren. 

Where  small  rivers,  such  as  the  Big  and  Little  Blue,  have 
cut  a  valley  to  the  Missouri  from  the  higher  prairies,  they  dupli- 
cate in  miniature  the  features  characteristic  of  the  great  river; 
narrow  bottom  lands  fringe  one  side,  and  cliffs  the  other,  al- 
ternating as  the  streams  wind.  The  rich  soil  along  the  rivers 
is  shaded  by  great  elms,  tall  hackberries  and  "Cochi"  beans 
(Kentucky  Coffee  trees)  ;  the  base  of  the  cliffs  are  covered  with 
bladder-nut  and  cornel.  Here  the  Kentucky  Warbler,  the  Tufted 
Tit  and  the  Red-bellied  Woodpecker  are  characteristic  birds. 

Above  the  cliffs  there  are  thin-soiled  shelves  of  limestone, 

(213) 


556 


214  Trans.  Acad.  Sci.  of  St.  Louis. 

covered  in  summer  and  fall  with  a  profusion  of  bright  flowers, 
nigger-heads,  asters,  goldenrod  and  blazing  star.  If  these  so- 
called  barrens  are  extensive,  they  are  covered  with  thickets  of 
plum,  wild  crab  and  buckthorn,  the  favorite  home  of  Bell's 
Vireo.  Where  the  soil  becomes  deeper  and  the  prairie  begins, 
man  has  for  the  most  part  taken  possession,  and  turned  the  stiff 
prairie  grass  under,  and  is  now  raising  wheat,  clover,  alfalfa 
and  grass.  The  Prairie  Horned  Lark,  the  Mourning  Dove,  and 
the  Dickcissel  are  the  birds  of  the  wheat  fields.  On  the  farm- 
steads themselves  and  in  the  windbreaks  of  soft  maple  that  sur- 
round them,  breed  the  birds  which  the  farmer  boy  knows  best, 
the  Wren,  the  Kingbird,  the  Purple  Martin,  the  Bluebird,  and 
the  rest  of  the  well  known  list.  In  the  osage  orange  hedges  that 
divide  the  upland  fields,  Shrikes  nest  and  many  migrant  birds 
find  shelter. 

The  river,  as  it  sweeps  past  on  its  way  to  the  Gulf,  has  of- 
fered for  untold  centuries  a  highway  for  the  many  species  that 
breed  in  northern  latitudes.  The  House  Wrens  and  Orchard 
Orioles  of  Nebraska  rest  in  early  May  in  the  willows  along  its 
bars,  the  Purple  Finches  and  Siskins  on  their  way  south  in  the 
fall,  feed  on  the  "buttons"  of  the  sycamores.  But  to  the  real 
river-man,  who  has  watched  for  many  years  the  floods  make  and 
remake  the  ever-shifting  shores,  the  flight  of  birds  suggests  the 
great  waves  of  ducks  and  geese  that  rest  on  the  sandbars,  or  in 
the  swift  Current  itself,  or  the  "Snipe,"  the  Sandpipers  or 
Plover  that  feed  on  the  exposed  flats  or  wheel  with  shrill  pip- 
ings over  the  muddy  water.  With  these  birds  are  associated 
all  the  other  waterfowl  less  important  to  the  sportsman,  but 
often  coming  within  his  ken,  the  majestic  Pelican,  the  Grebe,  the 
Coot  and  the  Herons. 

The  city  itself  has  destroyed  many  former  breeding  places  of 
the  birds,  but  in  the  residence  section  the  planting  of  trees  and 
shrubs  has  attracted  those  species  that  adapt  themselves  to  the 
neighborhood  of  man.  The  Brown  Thrashers  and  Catbirds 
nest  in  the  shrubbery,  Orioles  and  Robins  in  the  elms,  Blue- 
birds, Wrens  and  Martins  in  the  boxes  now  so  generally  put  up. 
The  Chimney  Swift  is  still  seen  over  the  mass  of  stone  and  con- 
crete that  covers  the  downtown  section  of  the  city. 

During  migration  many  of  the  smaller  birds  pass  through  the 
tree  tops  in  the  residence  sections  of  the  city,  or  hide  by  day  in 


Harris — Birds  of  the  Kansas  City  Region,  215 

the  shrubbery  of  the  yards.  In  any  open  space,  such  as  Penn 
Valley  Park,  Mount  Washington  or  Forest  Hill  Cemetery,  a 
large  number  of  migrants  may  be  found.  Swope  Park  is  so  ex- 
tensive and  so  varied  in  character  that  almost  every  bird  be- 
longing to  the  Kansas  City  region  may  be  found  there  either 
breeding,  wintering  or  passing  through.  A  census  of  the  birds 
in  Swope  Park,  made  by  Mr.  A.  E.  Shirling,  includes  150  spe- 
cies, of  which  73  species,  represented  by  2,025  singing  males, 
bred  within  the  borders  of  the  Park. 

The  region  about  Kansas  City  probably  compares  favorably 
with  any  section  of  the  country  in  the  number  of  birds  that 
are  found  at  different  seasons  of  the  year.  In  only  one  respect 
is  the  region  unfavorable  for  certain  groups  of  birds;  it  lacks 
extensive  marshes  or  reedy  lakes  where  Rails,  Marsh  Wrens 
and  Bitterns  could  find  the  shelter  in  which  they  breed.  There 
are  a  few  places,  chiefly  near  the  Missouri  River,  where  such 
birds  have  been  found.  In  Platte  County  the  shallow  river- 
lakes,  such  as  Bean  Lake,  and  Sugar  and  Mud  Lakes  at  Ar- 
mour, are  covered  in  part  with  a  growth  of  cat-tails.  Here 
Gallinules,  Least  Bitterns,  Black  Terns  and  Yellow-headed  Black- 
birds are  fairly  common. 

The  increase  of  ducks  and  geese,  since  the  passage  of  the 
Federal  Migratory  Bird  Law,  has  been  noticeable.  More  ducks 
have  passed  through,  and,  in  many  localities,  several  species 
are  remaining  to  breed,  which  formerly  were  driven  off  by 
spring  shooting. 

The  larger  birds,  those  which  were  hunted,  and  the  birds  of 
prey  which  depend  on  the  game  birds  for  food  and  were  them- 
selves a  mark  for  gunners,  have  diminished  to  a  deplorable 
extent.  All  the  earlier  naturalists  noted  the  abundance  of 
waterfowl  along  the  Missouri,  and  of  game  birds  on  its  banks. 
Canada  Geese  nested  in  the  Missouri  bottoms  in  the  days  of 
Audubon,  Wild  Turkey  and  Prairie  Chicken  were  everywhere 
common.  Eagles  and  Fish  Hawks  built  bulky  nests  in  the  tall 
trees  in  the  bottom  lands;  Duck  Hawks  and  Ravens  had  their 
homes  in  the  cliffs. 

Several  species  once  plentiful  or  even  abundant  are  now  ex- 
tinct, either  in  the  whole  country,  or  in  the  region  covered  by 
this  list.  The  Passenger  Pigeon  and  the  Paroquet  have  van- 


216  Tram.  Acad.  Sci.  of  St.  Louis. 

ished  everywhere;  the  Ivory-billed  Woodpecker  and  the  Ruffed 
Grouse  are  gone  from  Western  Missouri. 

On  the  other  hand,  some  birds  have  probably  increased  with 
the  cutting  off  of  the  timber  and  the  cultivation  of  the  fields. 
There  are  probably  more  Dickcissels  and  Prairie  Horned  Larks, 
more  Shrikes  and  Bluebirds  now  than  fifty  years  ago.  Their 
enemies  have  decreased  and  the  land  suitable  for  breeding  has 
grown  more  extensive. 

Very  little  has  been  previously  published  about  the  birds  of 
Western  Missouri.  The  following  references  form  as  complete 
a  bibliography  as  the  author  has  been  able  to  compile : 

On  June  2'5,  1804,  the  Lewis  and  Clark  Expedition  encamped 
for  the  night  on  an  island  in  the  Missouri  River  near  the  mouth 
of  a  large  creek  called  the  Blue-water  (now  known  as  Big  Blue 
River)  and  on  the  next  evening  had  reached  a  point  at  the  con- 
fluence of  the  Kansas  (Kaw)  where  they  remained  for  two  days. 
Here  they  secured  game  in  plenty,  including  Deer  and  Wild 
Turkey.  On  their  return  they  passed  this  point  on  September 
15,  1806,  and  killed  an  Elk  and  saw  many  Wild  Turkeys. 

Thomas  Say,  of  the  Long  Expedition,  made  an  excursion 
across  Jackson  County  from  Fort  Osage  (Sibley)  to  the  Konza 
River  (Kaw),  leaving  the  fort  on  August  6,  1819,  and  rejoin- 
ing the  main  party  on  the  Missouri,  near  the  mouth  of  the 
Platte,  about  September  1.  He  mentions  the  abundance  of 
game  and  states  that  here  Ravens  were  first  seen  by  the  party. 
He  adds  that  in  this  region  he  saw  a  pretty  species  of  Sparrow 
that  was  altogether  new  to  him.  Reference  is  here  made  to  the 
Lark  Sparrow  which  the  party  had  discovered  a  short  time  be 
fore  further  down  the  Missouri  River  at  Bellefontaine. 

In  the  spring  of  1834,  Thomas  Nuttall  in  company  with  Jno. 
K.  Townsend  passed  through  Jackson  County  on  the  old  Inde- 
pendence-Westport  Road  on  his  way  to  the  Pacific  Coast.  Men- 
tion of  this  stage  of  the  journey  is  made  in  the  second  edition 
of  his  ' '  Manual, ' '  published  in  1840,  where  the  Mourning  Finch 
(now  known  as  Harris's  Sparrow)  is  described  and  the  type 
locality  given  as  "  a  few  miles  west  of  Independence. ' ' 

Maximilian,  Prince  of  Wied,  had  ascended  the  Missouri 
River  in  1833,  and  on  his  return  the  next  spring,  just  17  days 
after  Nuttall  and  Townsend  had  left  Independence,  he  dis- 


Harris — Birds  of  the  Kansas  City  Region.  217 

covered,  near  the  mouth  of  Platte  River,  a  finch  new  to  him 
which  he  named  Fringilla  comata.  He  minutely  described  this 
bird  (the  Mourning  Finch  of  Nuttall)  in  the  second  volume  of 
his  journal  published  in  1841. 

Audubon,  who  reached  this  point  on  May  2,  1843,  on  his 
journey  up  the  Missouri  River  to  Fort  Union,  speaks  in  his 
journal  of  the  abundance  of  Wild  Turkeys  and  Paroquets,  and 
gives  a  list  of  49  species  of  birds  observed  or  collected.  This 
list  contains  such  locally  extinct  or  rare  birds  as  Ruffed  Grouse, 
Duck  Hawk,  Swan,  Bald  Eagle  (two  nests).  In  the  bottom 
land  on  the  Missouri  side,  near  Leavenworth,  his  party  took 
specimens  of  the  sparrow  which  he  named  after  his  friend 
Edward  Harris,  not  knowing  of  the  discovery  of  this  bird  in 
1834  by  Nuttall.  At  this  point  was  discovered  a  vireo,  new  to 
science,  which  Audubon  named  after  another  member  of  the 
party— J.  G.  Bell. 

On  the  return,  in  1843,  four  Paroquets  and  two  Ruffed 
Grouse  were  killed  in  the  vicinity  of  St.  Joseph,  and  near  Leav- 
enworth great  flocks  of  migrating  Geese  and  Pelicans  were 
seen  on  October  10th.  Three  days  later  a  great  number  of 
Sandhill  Cranes  were  seen. 

Edward  Harris,  who  accompanied  Audubon,  and  for  whom 
the  supposedly  new  finch  was  named,  published  a  list  of  118 
species  seen  between  Fort  Leavenworth  and  Fort  Union  (5th 
Annual  Report  Smithsonian  Institution,  for  1850). 

Of  the  birds  noted  by  Dr.  P.  R.  Hoy  in  this  vicinity  in  1854, 
at  least  one  species,  the  Purple  Sandpiper,  has  not  since  been 
observed  (19th  Annual  Report  Smithsonian  Institution,  1864). 

Dr.  J.  A.  Allen  collected  a  series  of  specimens  in  May,  1871, 
in  the  bottoms  of  Platte  County,  and  took  several  species  of 
water-birds  about  a  lagoon,  probably  Horseshoe  Lake.  (Bull. 
Museum  Comparative  ZooL,  1872). 

W.  E.  D.  Scott,  who  was  employed  at  the  Normal  School  of 
Warrensburg,  Johnson  County,  during  the  spring  of  1874, 
published  a  list  of  147  species  observed  and  collected  in  that 
vicinity  (Nuttall  Bulletin,  Vol.  4,  1879). 

A  few  scattered  field  notes  and  short  articles  on  rare  and 
unexpected  species,  by  local  observers,  have  from  time  to  time 
appeared  in  the  bird  journals.  No  previous  attempt  has  been 


218  Trans.  Acad.  Sci.  of  St.  Louis. 

made  to  give  a  complete  local  list,  excepting  of  course  the 
admirable  state  list  of  Mr.  Otto  Widmann.  This  list  was  pub- 
lished in  1907  by  the  St.  Louis  Academy  of  Science  as  VoL 
XVII,  No.  1,  of  their  Transactions.  The  list  is  a  monument  to 
the  accurate  and  full  information  which  Mr.  Widmann  gath- 
ered together  from  his  own  widespread  observation  and  from 
his  correspondents  throughout  the  state. 

RALPH  HOFFMANN 


BIRDS   OF   THE   KANSAS   CITY  REGION. 
HARRY  HARRIS. 

PREFACE. 

There  has  been  no  list  of  the  birds  of  the  Kansas  City  region 
which  local  students  of  birds  could  consult.  It  is  hoped  that  the 
present  summary  of  an  extensive  study  of  the  avifauna  of 
Jackson  County,  Missouri,  and  vicinity,  will  be  of  service  to 
local  nature-study  classes,  and  to  bird  students  in  general.  It 
is  hoped  also  that  it  may  stimulate  that  scientific  interest  in 
bird-study  which  is  an  active  and  powerful  incentive  to  the 
growing  movement  for  bird  protection. 

No  attempt  has  been  made  to  furnish  a  means  of  identifying 
birds,  since  so  many  standard  works  covering  this  ground  are 
available.  A  list  of  desirable  books  is  given  in  the  text.  The 
nomenclature  used  is  that  of  the  American  Ornithologists' 
Union  Check  List. 

The  total  number  of  species  and  subspecies  listed  is  343. 
This  number  includes  8  species  that  have  become  extinct  in  this 
region,  and  17  that  occur  here  only  as  wanderers  out  of  their 
ranges.  The  summer  residents — that  is  breeders — number  117, 
of  which  12  are  very  rare.  The  9  species  and  subspecies  indi- 
cated in  the  text  by  brackets,  have  not  yet  been  authenticated, 
but  they  should  occur  here  and  are  included  to  call  the  atten- 
tion of  local  students  to  the  possibility  of  establishing  their 
presence  in  this  vicinity. 

Credit  is  due  several  local  ornithologists  for  the  generous 
loan  of  notes  and  material  which  have  greatly  aided  in  the 
working  out  of  migration  periods  and  in  authenticating  the  oc- 
currence of  a  few  rare  species.  These  courtesies  are  here  ac- 
knowledged with  thanks.  The  greatest  stimulus  to  the  work 
has  been  the  field-companionship  of  Mr.  Ralph  Hoffmann.  The 
vast  fund  of  ornithological  and  book  lore  possessed  by  this  en- 
thusiastic and  kindly  naturalist  has  been  a  constant  inspira- 
tion. Mr.  Dix  Teachenor,  an  experienced  taxonomist,  has  as- 

(219) 


220 


Trans.  Acad.  Sci.  of  St.  Louis. 


sisted  in  determining  subspecies,  and  has  furnished  for  study 
a  large  series  of  sparrow  skins  collected  in  this  region.  Mr.  B. 
F.  Bush  of  Courtney,  and  Mr.  Charles  Tindall  of  Independence, 
have  furnished  valuable  notes.  Mr.  Tindall  has  also  loaned  his 


JACKSON  COUNTY 
MISSOURI 


collection  of  skins.  The  notes  of  Mr.  John  A.  Bryant  have 
yielded  several  records  as  well  as  some  early-day  matter  rela- 
tive to  species  now  extirpated  or  very  rare.  Mr.  Charles  E. 
Bankers  of  Corning,  Holt  County,  who  has  made  an  extensive 


Harris — Birds  of  the  Kansas  City  Region.  221 

collection  of  the  larger  birds  of  Northwestern  Missouri,  has 
given  free  access  to  his  notes  and  specimens.  Mr.  A.  F.  Smith- 
son  of  Warrensburg  has  contributed  voluminous  notes  covering 
a  period  of  several  years.  Mr.  A.  E.  Shirling  has  assisted  ma- 
terially in  bringing  the  list  down  to  date.  Among  the  sports- 
men whose  observations  have  been  based  on  a  knowledge  of 
ornithology,  Judge  J.  E.  Guinotte  of  Kansas  City,  and  Mr.  R. 
P.  Holland  of  Atchison,  Kansas,  have  contributed  matter  of  in- 
terest and  value.  The  Kansas  list  of  Mr.  C.  D.  Bunker,  Curator 
of  the  Kansas  University  Museum,  and  the  admirable  Missouri 
list  of  Mr.  Otto  Widmann  have  been  freely  consulted  and  a  few 
records  used. 


Order  PYGOPODES.    Diving  Birds. 

Suborder  Colymbi.    Grebes. 

Family  COLYMBIDAE.    Grebes. 

AECHMOPHORUS  OCCIDENTALIS  (Lawrence).    Western  Grebe. 

Accidental,  possibly  casual,  visitant. 

The  Western  Grebe  has  been  taken  once  near  Lawrence 
(Bunker),  and  there  is  a  Missouri  River  record  from  adjacent 
territory  on  the  north  (southeastern  Nebraska).  While  no  speci- 
men has  been  taken  in  this  immediate  vicinity,  this  grebe  very 
possibly  occurs  on  the  Missouri  River  here  as  a  casual  visitant 
during  migration. 

COLYMBUS  HOLBOELLI  (Reinhardt).    Holboell's  Grebe. 
Occasional  visitant. 

This  rare  bird  has  been  taken  but  twice  in  this  vicinity ;  once 
in  1854  and  again  on  September  15,  1905.  Two  grebes  observed 
on  April  28,  1917,  in  the  Missouri  River  overflow  at  the  mouth 
of  the  Big  Blue,  were  identified  as  this  species.  It  is  to  be  looked 
for  during  the  migration  seasons  on  any  large  pond  or  stream, 
but  is  more  likely  to  occur  on  the  Missouri  River. 

COLYMBUS  NIGRICOLLIS  CALIFORNICUS  (Heermann).  Eared  Grebe. 
Regular  but  rare  migrant. 

The  Eared  Grebe  occurs  from  the  middle  of  April  to  the  first 
week  in  May,  and  again  during  the  second  week  in  November. 

The  small  number  of  actual  records  for  this  bird  in  Jackson 
county  may  be  accounted  for  by  lack  of  enough  suitable  reedy 
lakes.  Two  specimens  have  been  taken  on  the  Missouri  River 
near  Courtney,  and  the  bird  has  been  observed  at  Lake  City.  It 
occurs  regularly  and  in  numbers,  during  migration,  about  the 
river  lakes  in  Platte  County. 

PODILYMBUS  PODICEPS  (Linn.).    Pied-billed  Grebe. 
Common  migrant  and  rare  summer  resident. 

The  Pied-billed  Grebe  arrives  from  the  last  week  in  March  to 
the  middle  of  April,  and  leaves  in  late  November. 

This  small  grebe  may  be  looked  for  on  any  small  pond  or 
stream.  It  has  been  frequently  noted  on  all  of  the  park  lakes. 

(223) 


224  Trans.  Acad.  Sci.  of  St.  Louis. 

It  is  easy  of  approach  and,  on  being  disturbed,  instead  of  taking 
wing  will  usually  dive,  hence  the  vernacular  name  Hell  Diver. 

The  nest  has  never  been  found  in  Jackson  County,  but  pairs  of 
birds  have  remained  all  summer  on  Mill  Creek,  north  of  Inde- 
pendence (Bush),  on  Fish  Lake,  and  on  the  lower  Blue  River. 
A  nearly  full  grown  young  bird  was  seen  at  the  mouth  of  Blue 
on  June  13,  1916. 

Suborder  Cepphi.    Loons  and  Auks. 
Family  GAVIIDAE.    Loons. 

G-AVIA  IMMER  (Brunnich).    Loon. 
Rare  migrant. 

The  few  available  records  of  this  once  common  migrant  indi- 
cate that  it  arrives  from  the  north  about  the  middle  of  October 
and  returns  during  the  first  two  weeks  in  April. 

It  is  observed  mainly  on  the  Missouri  River,  though  a  speci- 
men was  taken  at  Lake  City  on  October  10,  1902.  It  is  still  oc- 
casionally taken  by  duck  hunters  and  a  few  individuals  have 
been  known  to  winter  here  during  mild  and  open  winters. 

Order  LONGIPENNES.     Long-winged   Swimmers. 
Family  STERCORARIIDAE.    Skuas  and  Jaegers. 

STERCORARIUS  POMARINUS  (Temminck).    Pomarine  Jaeger. 
Accidental  visitant. 

A  fine  specimen  of  this  unlooked-for  ocean  bird  was  secured 
by  two  duck  hunters  on  the  Missouri  River  near  the  Eaton  Bar 
on  November  28,  1915.  The  skin  is  now  in  the  possession  of 
Charles  Tindall  of  Independence,  and  constitutes  the  only  rec- 
ord for  the  state. 

That  there  might  be  no  question  as  to  the  identification,  the 
specimen  was  forwarded  to  the  Biological  Survey  at  Washing- 
ton and  identified  by  Dr.  H.  C.  Oberholser. 

STERCORARIUS  PARASITICUS  (Linn).     Parasitic  Jaeger. 
Rare  winter  visitant. 

The  Parasitic  Jaeger  has  been  taken  several  times  by  duck 
hunters  on  the  Missouri  River,  though  there  are  no  specimens 
to  substantiate  the  records.  A  flock  of  five  were  observed  at 
close  range  near  the  mouth  of  the  Big  Blue  River  on  April  23, 


Harris — Birds  of  the  Kansas  City  Region.  225 

1916.  There  can  be  no  question  of  the  identification  in  this  case, 
as  the  birds  were  close  enough  to  show  their  distinctive  charac- 
teristic, the  sharp  middle  tail  feathers  a  few  inches  longer  than 
the  others. 

The  older  river  men  state  that  this  bird  was  not  uncommon  in 
the  days  when  the  river  was  filbd  with  refuse  from  the  packing 
houses. 

STERCORARIUS  LONGICAUDUS  Vieillot.    Long-tailed  Jaeger. 
Accidental  visitant. 

A  specimen  of  this  bird  was  taken  at  Bean  Lake  in  the  spring 
of  1910  (Holland).  On  October  3,  1916,  Mr.  B.  F.  Bush  Watched 
two  of  these  easily  identified  Jaegers  worrying  a  bunch  of  Blue- 
winged  Teal  on  the  Missouri  River  near  Courtney.  Mr.  Bush  is 
a  trained  scientific  observer  and  there  can  be  no  question  as  to 
this  record,  especially  as  the  birds  were  within  a  few  feet  of  him 
part  of  the  time.  These  are  the  only  known  records  for  Missouri. 

Family  LARIDAE.    Gulls  and  Terns. 
'Subfamily  Larinae.    Gulls. 

EISSA  TRIDACTYLA  TRIDACTYLA  (Linn.).    Kittiwake. 
Accidental. 

The  only  record  for  this  gull  is  that  of  Mr.  J.  A.  Bryant,  who 
took  a  specimen  in  the  spring  of  1897  ( Widmann,  p.  24) .  It  has 
been  impossible  to  verify  this  record,  as  the  specimen  does  not 
seem  to  have  been  preserved. 

LARUS  ARGENTATUS  Pontoppidan.     Herring  Gull. 
Fairly  common  migrant. 

The  Herring  Gull  sometimes  arrives  in  February,  even  when 
the  river  is  filled  with  floating  ice,  as  in  1916,  but  more  often 
from  the  last  week  in  March  to  the  first  week  in  April.  This 
gull  probably  follows  the  Mississippi  River  south  in  the  fall  mi- 
gration, as  there  are  no  records  of  its  occurrence  here  at  that 
season. 

LARUS  DEDAWARENSIS  Ord.    Ring-billed  Gull. 
Not  uncommon  migrant. 

Though  there  are  but  five  authentic  records  of  the  occurrence 


226  Trans.  Acad.  Sci.  of  St.  Louis. 

of  this  gull  in  this  vicinity— Oct.  27,  1899,  May  5,  1902  (speci- 
men), Sept.  25,  1902,  Apr.  18,  1915  and  Apr.  12,  1917,— it  prob- 
ably occurs  oftener  than  indicated  by  these  figures.  Unfortu- 
nately the  observers  most  liable  to  see  it  (the  river  fishermen) 
are  unable  to  distinguish  it  from  the  preceding  species.  Further 
observation  may  prove  it  to  be  as  common,  if  not  commoner, 
than  the  Herring  Gull. 

LARUS  ATRICILLA  Linnaeus.    Laughing  Gull. 
Casual  migrant. 

The  Laughing  Gull  has  been  repeatedly  taken  at  Lawrence 
(six  records,  Bunker)  and  has  been  reported  from  points  to  the 
north  and  east  (southeastern  Nebraska  and  southern  and  cen- 
tral Iowa).  It  is  probably  a  rare  bird  everywhere  inland  and 
has  thus  far  escaped  notice  on  the  Missouri  River  in  this  imme- 
diate neighborhood. 

LARUS  FRANKLINI  Richardson.    Franklin's  Gull. 
Common  migrant. 

Long  straggling  flocks  of  these  beautiful  gulls  begin  to  arrive 
from  the  south  from  the  10th  to  20th  of  April  and  are  but  a  few 
days  in  passing,  as  they  are  probably  impatient  to  reach  the 
breeding  grounds.  Late  arrivals  have  been  noted  as  late  as  the 
first  week  in  May.  They  seem  to  be  irregular  in  the  autumnal 
flight ;  during  some  years  but  a  few  are  seen,  during  others  great 
numbers  pass  through.  They  straggle  along  in  a  leisurely  man- 
ner, feeding  as  they  go,  from  the  middle  of  October  to  the  last 
of  November. 

In  the  spring  they  are  to  be  looked  for  on  the  Missouri  River 
but  in  fall  are  likely  to  occur  about  any  body  of  water. 

LARUS  PHILADELPHIA  (Ord).    Bonaparte's  Gull. 
Not  very  rare  migrant. 

Specimens  of  Bonaparte's  Gull  are  occasionally  shot  by  hunt 
ers  on  the  Missouri  River;  more  often  in  spring  than  autumc. 
Available  records  of  specimens  are  as  follows :  Sugar  Lake,  May 
5,  1897,  Bryant;  Missouri  River,  Jackson  County,  May  10,  1900, 
Tindall;  Holt  County,  May  5,  1908,  Bankers;  Missouri  River, 
Jackson  County,  December  8,  1917,  specimen  in  collection  of 
Miss  Clements  of  Independence. 


Harris — Birds  of  the  Kansas  City  Region.  227 

Subfamily  STERNINAE.    Terns. 

STERNA  CASPIA  Pallas. 

HYDROPROGNE  CASPIA  IMPERATOR  (Coues).    Proposed  April,  1917. 

Caspian  Tern. 
Occasional  visitant. 

Two  specimens  of  this  tern  were  taken  by  Chas.  Tindall  on 
the  Missouri  River  near  Courtney  on  October  14,  1914.  Sev- 
eral more  were  secured,  probably  from  the  same  flock,  at  the 
same  place  ten  days  later. 

A  specimen  was  taken  at  Lake  City  by  Mr.  J.  A.  Bryant  in 
the  spring  of  1886.  No  other  records  are  available. 

STERNA  FORSTERI  Nuttall.    Forster's  Tern. 
Not  uncommon  migrant. 

Small  flocks  of  Forster's  Terns  appear  late  in  April  and 
early  May,  and  again  in  September  and  October.  Recent  data 
seem  to  point  to  the  increase  of  this  tern  which,  though  for- 
merly common,  had  later  become  very  scarce. 

These  graceful  birds  may  be  looked  for  on  the  Swope  Park 
lakes  or  any  other  large  pond,  as  well  as  on  the  Missouri 
River. 

STERNA  HIRUNDO  Linn.     Common  Tern. 
Somewhat  rare  migrant. 

The  Common  Tern  is  usually  seen  late  in  May  or  early  June 
and  again  in  October.  It  was  formerly  rather  common.  Some 
recent  dates  are  May  10,  1916,  when  a  flock  of  twelve  were 
seen  in  Swope  Park,  and  June  11,  1916,  when  fifteen  were  ob- 
served feeding  in  their  characteristic  manner  about  the  mouth 
of  Big  Blue  River. 

STERNA  ANTILLARUM  (Lesson). 

STERNULA  ANTILLARUM  ANTILLARUM  Lessor.    Proposed    April. 

1917.    Least  Tern. 
Somewhat  rare  migrant  and  occasional  summer  resident. 

Least  Terns  make  their  appearance  in  small  numbers  during 
the  last  few  days  in  April  in  some  years,  but  oftener  in  the  first 
week  of  May.  They  leave  for  the  South  during  the  first  fifteen 
days  of  September. 

Prior  to  1900  this  dainty  bird  was  commonly  met  with  on  the 
Missouri  River  and  about  neighboring  ponds  and  marshes.  It 


228  Tram.  Acad.  Sci.  of  St.  Louis. 

remained  to  breed  in  small  numbers  in  favorable  localities  in  the 
Missouri  bottoms.  During  the  summer  of  1915  a  pair  were  seen 
throughout  the  entire  breeding  season  at  the  mouth  of  Big  Blue, 
where  they  no  doubt  had  a  nest. 

This  tern  seems  to  be  slightly  on  the  increase;  more  individ- 
uals have  been  seen  during  the  last  four  years  than  for  thirteen 
years  prior  to  that  time. 

HYDBOCHELIDON  NIGRA  SURINAMENSIS  (Gonelin).    Black  Tern. 
Abundant  migrant  and  not  uncommon  summer  resident. 

The  first  impatient  males  begin  to  arrive  about  April  26th, 
followed  in  increasing  numbers  all  through  May  by  the  bulk  of 
the  flight  and  until  mid-June  by  the  stragglers.  A  flock  of  be- 
tween fifty  and  a  hundred  birds  have  been  seen  migrating  as  late 
as  June  llth. 

These  terns  follow  the  Missouri  Eiver  in  flocks  of  several  hun- 
dred individuals  and  resort  to  favorite  feeding  and  resting  places 
where  they  may  be  observed  during  every  migration.  The  Big 
Eddy  just  below  the  mouth  of  Blue  is  one  of  these.  Here  the 
feeding  flocks  may  be  easily  approached  in  a  launch  and  the 
many  plumage  variations  observed  at  close  range. 

This  species  has  been  seen  about  the  Swope  Park  lakes,  Penn 
Valley  lake,  Country  Club  pond  and  other  small  bodies  of  water 
in  and  around  the  city.  They  are  observed  during  the  entire 
summer  at  most  of  the  duck-hunting  resorts  in  this  vicinity,  and 
are  very  possibly  breeding  in  favorable  localities. 

Several  were  seen  hawking  for  insects  over  an  athletic  field 
in  the  Country  Club  region  in  company  with  Nighthawks  on 
May  17,  1917. 

Order  STEGANOPODES.     Totipalmate  Swimmers. 
Family  ANHINGIDAE.    Darters. 

ANHINGA  ANHINGA   (Linn)  .Water-Turkey. 
Formerly  an  occasional  summer  visitant. 

A  small  flock  of  these  curious  Southern  birds  were  observed 
by  Bush  on  the  Missouri  Eiver  near  old  Wayne  City  (now  Ce- 
ment City),  in  1882. 

A  specimen  was  taken  by  Bryant  on  the  Missouri  River  at 
Parkville  in  1898.  This  bird  will  possibly  not  be  met  with  here 
again;  it  has  been  steadily  driven  south  by  th«  encroachments 


Harris — Birds  of  the  Kansas  City  Region.  229 

of  civilization  until  but  a  few  pairs  remain  in  the  sunken  re- 
gions of  southeast  Missouri. 

Family  PHALACROCORACIDAE.     Cormorants. 

PHALACROCORAX    AURITUS    AURITUS     (Lesson).      Double-crested 

Cormorant. 
Rather  rare  migrant. 

All  available  records  but  one  of  the  occurrence  of  this  bird 
here  are  in  October  and  November,  though  it  is  known  to  pass 
regularly  in  the  spring  (two  specimens,  April  17,  1904,  Dank- 
ers). 

During  occasional  migrations  it  is  seen  in  considerable  num- 
bers, as  in  1904,  when,  on  October  24th,  a  flock  of  between  100 
and  150  were'  seen  perched  in  the  trees  along  the  river  bank 
across  from  the  Big  Eddy.  Two  specimens  were  taken  from  this 
flock.  Again  in  the  same  year  on  November  17th  a  flock  of 
twenty  was  observed  on  the  river  near  Courtney. 

The  river  fishermen  know  this  bird  as  the  Water-Turkey  and 
state  that  rarely  a  season  passes  without  their  seeing  it. 

Family  PELECANIDAE.     Pelicans. 

PELECANUS  ERYTHRORHYNCHOS  Gmelin.  White  Pelican. 
Common  migrant. 

This  locality  is  fortunate  in  being  favored  with  spring  and 
autumn  visits  from  this,  the  largest  member  of  the  North  Ameri- 
can Avifauna. 

Pelicans  arrive  from  the  south  during  the  last  week  of  March 
or  very  early  in  April  and  return  from  the  13th  to  25th  of 
September,  straggling  along  in  varying  numbers  until  late  in 
November. 

They  are  still  seen  in  considerable  numbers,  though  not  in 
such  abundance  as  formerly.  They  seem  to  be  holding  their 
own  of  late  years  in  spite  of  the  odds  against  them. 

Flocks  of  several  hundreds  of  these  majestic  birds  are  often 
seen  flying  high  over  the  Missouri  Valley,  when  they  present 
a  sight  not  easily  forgotten,  as  with  alternate  series  of  flapping 
and  sailing  they  make  their  way  rapidly  along.  Unless  at  too 
high  an  altitude  they  are  not  to  be  mistaken  for  any  other  water 
bird. 

They  have  on  at  least  one  occasion  been  seen  to  make  their 


230  Trans.  Acad.  Sci.  of  St.  Louis. 

well-known  concerted  drive  for  fish  into  shallow  water.  This 
was  observed  at  Goose  Island  in  the  Missouri  River  a  short 
distance  above  the  city. 

Hunters  only  too  often  bring  in  specimens  of  Pelicans  wan- 
tonly destroyed  for  " sport."  Among  these  have  been  noted 
males,  taken  in  the  autumn,  with  the  nuptial  horn  or  mandible 
keel  still  retained.  This  temporary  appendage  is  usually  cast 
on  the  breeding  ground  before  the  southward  flight  begins. 

Favorable  localities,  where  they  may  rest  and  feed  in  seclu- 
sion, or  where  they  are  protected,  have  been  known  to  harbor 
great  numbers  of  these  migrants  for  days  and  even  weeks  at 
a  time.  One  lake  in  this  district  is  visited  twice  a  year  by  a 
flock  of  from  100  to  1,500  Pelicans.  They  sometimes  remain 
on  this  pond  for  two  weeks. 

Order  ANSERES.    Lamellirostral  Swimmers. 

Family  ANATIDAE.     Ducks,  Greese  and  Swans. 

Subfamily  Merginae.     Mergansers. 

MERGUS  AMERICANUS  Oassin.     Merganser. 

Not  uncommon  migrant;  occasional  winter  resident. 

Mergansers  arrive  late  from  the  north,  usually  during  the 
last  half  of  November,  and  leave  early,  in  some  seasons  as  early 
as  February,  but  more  often  in  March  and  early  April. 

During  the  winter  of  1910-1911  a  flock  of  six  were  observed 
during  the  entire  winter  at  the  mouth  of  the  Big  Blue.  Again 
in  1916  another  larger  flock  wintered  on  a  nearby  pond,  leav- 
ing early  in  March. 

MERGUS  SERRATOR  Linn.     Red-breasted  Merganser. 
Rare  migrant. 

This  duck  is  occasionally  seen  in  hunters'  bags  and  is  prob- 
ably more  often  taken  than  the  records  indicate.  Two  beauti- 
ful specimens  were  examined  in  a  gunner's  string  on  March 
18,  1916,  on  the  Missouri  River  near  Sugar  Creek.  There  are 
a  half  dozen  authentic  records  for  the  last  few  years. 

LOPHODYTES  CUCULLATUS    (Linn.).     Hooded  Merganser. 

Common  migrant  and  formerly  a  not  uncommon  summer  resident. 

This  striking  duck  is  regularly  taken  by  hunters  on  the  river 
and  at  the  many  shooting  resorts  in  this  vicinity. 


Harris — Birds  of  the  Kansas  City  Region.  231 

It  remains  during  open  winters  in  favorable  localities  and 
has  been  known  to  breed  in  the  county.  The  dates  of  its  occur- 
rence here  cover  the  entire  year,  though  lately  it  is  seen  only 
during  migration. 

A  flock  of  six  nearly  full-grown  young  were  seen  on  Mill 
Creek,  between  Independence  and  Courtney,  on  June  17,  1892. 

Subfamily  Anatinae.    River  Ducks. 

ANAS  PLATYRHYNCHOS  Linn.     Mallard. 

Abundant  migrant,  fairly  common  winter  resident  and  occasional 
summer  resident. 

The  Mallard  is  present  in  some  numbers  during  every  winter 
that  the  Missouri  River  remains  open.  The  first  birds  from  the 
north  begin  to  arrive  early  in  September,  though  the  great 
flocks  do  not  come  through  until  the  middle  of  October,  when 
they  are  here  in  varying  numbers  until  the  last  days  of  Novem- 
ber and  the  first  half  of  December.  Unless  the  winter  be  ex- 
ceptionally severe,  the  northward  movement  begins  late  in  Janu- 
ary and  early  February.  By  the  last  week  in  March  the  crest 
of  the  migratory  wave  has  passed,  though  stragglers  may  be 
seen  as  late  as  the  middle  of  May. 

In  former  times  the  Mallard  nested  •commonly  along  the 
Missouri  River  bottoms  from  its  mouth,  and  Widmann  states 
that  a  few  still  find  safe  breeding  grounds  in  the  large  tracts 
of  spartina  grass  in  the  marshes  of  north  Missouri.  Smithson 
found  Mallards  breeding  near  Warrensburg  in  1903  and  1904. 
They  have  been  known  to  breed  also  during  recent  years  near 
Bigelow. 

During  the  past  two  or  three  years  there  has  been  a  very 
noticeable  increase  in  the  numbers  of  these  and  other  ducks. 
The  autumn  flight  of  1916  was  decidedly  larger  than  any  seen 
for  many  years. 

On  January  29,  1917,  there  was  a  surprising  southward 
flight  of  thousands  of  Mallards  and  Pintails.  A  severe  blizzard 
followed  the  ducks,  accompanied  by  a  temperature  of  twelve 
degrees  below  zero.  These  birds  had  spent  the  winter  up  to 
this  date  in  northern  Missouri,  although  there  had  been  periods 
during  which  all  lakes  and  streams,  except  the  Missouri  River, 
had  been  frozen  solid.  The  closing  of  the  river  during  this  bliz- 
zard probably  accounts  for  this  movement. 


232  Trans.  Acad.  Sci.  of  St.  Louis. 

Malards  are  likely  to  drop  into  any  small  body  of  water  dur- 
ing their  migratory  flights  and  are  sure  to  be  seen  in  Swope 
Park. 

ANAS  RUBRIPES  RUBRIPES  Brewster.     Red-legged  Black  Duck. 
Not  uncommon  but  irregular  migrant. 

The  well-known  controversy  relative  to  the  validity  of  this 
form  is  an  interesting  incident  in  the  history  of  systematic  orni- 
thology. It  is  included  in  this  list  in  the  firm  belief  that  it  is 
a  perfectly  good  and  valid  subspecies  and  that  it  will  one  day 
be  returned  to  the  American  Ornithologists'  Check  List. 

Black  Ducks  with  intensely  red  legs  and  feet  are  not  uncom- 
monly taken  on  the  Missouri  River  and  at  the  several  duck- 
shooting  resorts  in  this  neighborhood.  In  some  years  only  an 
occasional  specimen  is  seen.  A  hunter's  string  was  examined 
on  October  27,  1917,  that  contained  two  specimens  of  this  diuck 
taken  in  Jackson  County. 

William.  Andrews,  who  lives  on  the  Missouri  River  and  who 
has  spent  a  great  many  years  hunting  and  fishing  there,  recog- 
nizes the  two  forms  of  the  Black  Duck,  and  states  that  he  has 
killed  hundreds  of  the  Red-legged  subspecies  in  his  time.  He 
states  further  that  they  are  much  less  common  than  formerly 
and  are  somewhat  irregular  in  their  occurrence. 

ANAS  RUBRIPES  TRISTIS  Brewster.    Black  Duck. 
Rare  migrant. 

This  duck  was  formerly  a  common  migrant  and  often  pres- 
ent in  winter.  The  older  sportsmen  recall  the  days  when  the 
" Black  Mallard"  was  taken  regularly. 

It  has  been  noted  but  a  few  times  during  the  past  15  years 
and  is  now  considered  a  rarity.  Two  specimens  were  taken  on 
the  Missouri  River,  Oct.  30,  1903,  and  Nov.  15,  1909,  respec- 
tively. 

CHAULELASMUS  STREPERUS    (Linn.).    Gadwall. 
Fairly  common  migrant. 

The  Gadwall  is  regularly  met  with  on  the  Missouri  River 
during  March  and  April  and  in  late  October  and  November. 
A  few  single  birds  or  small  flocks  are  occasionally  seen  as  early 
as  the  middle  of  February.  A  flock  of  over  two  hundred  birds 
was  seen  on  April  13,  1917,  indicating  that  this  species  may  be 
on  the  increase. 


Harris — Birds  of  the  Kansas  City  Region.  233 

The  Gadwall  has  been  found  nesting  a  few  counties  to  the 
north. 

MARECA  AMERICANA  (Gmelin).    Baldpate. 
Common  migrant. 

The  Baldpate  is  often  found  in  the  company  of  the  Gadwall. 
The  migration  dates  of  these  two  species  are  about  the  same, 
though  the  Baldpate  has  not  been  known  to  breed  in  the  state. 
Fairly  large  flocks  of  these  two  ducks  have  been  noted  during 
the  last  two  years ;  we  believe  that  both  are  increasing  in  num- 
bers. 

The  Baldpate  is  occasionally  seen  on  the  park  lakes. 

NETTION  CAROLINENSE  (Gmelin).     Green- winged  Teal. 
Very  common  migrant;  occasional  winter  resident. 

The  Green-winged  Teal  arrives  from  the  north  during  Oc- 
tober; a  few  remain  during  the  mild  open  winters.  By  the 
last  week  of  April  all  have  left  for  their  northern  breeding 
grounds. 

On  account  of  their  habit  of  flying  in  compact  flocks  and  of 
circling  back  to  the  same  spot  again  and  again,  great  numbers 
of  these  beautiful  little  ducks  are  killed  by  hunters. 

They  have  often  been  noted  on  the  park  lakes. 

QUERQUEDULA  DiscoRS  (Linn.).     Blue-winged  Teal. 
Very  common  migrant  and  occasional  summer  resident. 

This  duck  returns  from  the  north  early  and  is  the  last  to  de- 
part in  the  spring.  Blue-wings  begin  to  arrive  early  in  Sep- 
tember, the  bulk  passing  during  the  latter  part  of  the  month 
and  in  early  October.  -A  few  are  seen  as  early  as  February  on 
their  return  but  the  bulk  of  the  flight  is  not  present  until  late 
in  April  and  many  are  observed  well  into  May. 

Pairs  of  Blue-wings  are  observed  all  summer  wherever  there 
are  favorable  nesting  sites  and  if  not  disturbed  would  breed  in 
numbers  in  the  county.  A  brood  of  five  young  with  the  parent 
birds  were  observed  on  Mill  Creek  several  times  in  June,  1916 
(Bush). 

This  is  one  of  the  species  of  water  fowl  that  is  fortunately 
showing  an  increase  in  numbers.  It  has  been  reported  as 
breeding  in  great  numbers  in  northern  Missouri  and  in  north- 
ern and  central  Kansas  during  the  summers  of  1915,  1916  and 
1917. 

It  is  not  uncommonly  seen  on  the  Swope  Park  lakes. 


234  Trans.  Acad.  Sci.  of  St.  Louis. 

QUERQUEDULA  CYANOPTERA   (Vieillot).     Cinnamon  Teal. 
Occasional  visitant. 

This  western  species  has  been  noted  many  timefc  in  this 
vicinity,  usually  in  the  company  of  its  near  relative  the  Blue- 
wing. 

A  pair  taken  by  Bryant  in  1904  were  killed  within  the  city 
limits.  A  flock  of  five  were  taken  by  Tindall  at  Lake  City  in, 
1895.  A  single  bird  was  observed  on  a  nearby  lake  on  April  17, 
1915.  Another  was  seen  on  the  same  lake  on  April  15,  1916, 
where  it  remained  for  over  a  week.  Still  another  record  comes 
from  the  same  place  in  April,  1917. 

SPATULA  CLYPEATA  (Linn.).    Shoveller. 

Very  common  migrant;  possibly  a  rare  summer  resident. 

The  arrival  and  departure  dates  of  this  duck  are  about  the 
same  as  those  of  the  Blue-winged  Teal. 

Pairs  of  these  birds,  observed  every  May  lingering  about 
ponds  and  swampy  bottom  land,  are  without  doubt  seeking 
nesting  sites  but  are  driven  out  by  unfavorable  conditions. 

This  beautifully  marked  and  easily  recognized  duck  is  fre- 
quently seen  on  the  park  lakes. 

DAFILA  ACUTA  (Linn.). 

DAFILA   ACUTA   TZITZIHOA    (Vieillot).      Proposed    April,    1917. 

Pintail. 
Abundant  migrant. 

Next  to  the  Mallard  and  Lesser  Scaup  this  is  our  commonest 
duck.  Its  arrival  and  departure  is  coincident  with  that  of  the 
Mallard. 

Tremendous  flights  of  Pintails  and  Mallards  occur  every  sea- 
son over  the  Missouri  Valley  and  present  a  wonderful  and  im- 
pressive sight  to  bird  lovers.  Even  at  night  the  flocks  may  be 
heard  passing  overhead  and  the  different  species  may  be  distin- 
guished by  their  notes.  On  favorable  mornings  when  the  migra- 
tion is  at  its  height,  the  observer  may  look  in  any  direction  and 
see  dozens  of  the  flocks  showing  every  conceivable  variation  of 
flight  formation.  The  most  favorable  time  for  observation,  if 
there  be  no  fog  on  the  river,  is  early  dawn  and  for  an  hour  or 
so  afterward. 

The  Pintail,  or  Sprig,  is  almost  certain  to  be  seen  during  every 
migration  on  the  Swope  Park  lakes. 


Harris — Birds  of  the  Kansas  City  Region.  235 

Aix  SPONSA   (Linn.).    Wood  Duck. 
Rare  migrant  and  summer  resident. 

This  once  plentiful  duck  was  a  common  breeder  in  the  Mis- 
souri and  Blue  Valleys  but  is  now  seen  only  occasionally.  As 
late  as  1909  a  pair  nested  in  the  neighborhood  of  the  27th 
Street  bridge  on  the  Blue  River.  This  pair  had  raised  a  brood 
in  this  place  every  summer  for  many  years  but  were  finally 
driven  off.  On  June  13,  1916,  two  nearly  grown  young  males 
were  observed  at  the  mouth  of  Big  Blue. 

Nearly  every  duck  hunter  in  the  county  owns  a  mounted 
specimen  of  this  beautiful  bird  taken  in  this  region. 

Subfamily  Fuligulinae.     Sea  Ducks. 

MARILA  AMERICANA  (Eyton).    Bedhead. 
Not  uncommon  migrant. 

The  Redhead  was  once  an  abundant  migrant  here  but  has 
been  scarcer  of  late  years,  though  it  is  probably  again  on  the 
increase. 

It  arrives  during  early  March  (sometimes  much  earlier)  and 
April  on  the  northward  flight  and  in  late  October  and  Novem- 
ber on  its  return.  It  is  occasionally  seen  in  December. 

Duck  hunters  generally  bewail  the  disappearance  of  this  fast 
flying  and  valuable  duck  but  take  every  opportunity  to  slaugh- 
ter it  on  sight. 

MARILA  VALISINERIA  (Wilson).     Canvas-back. 

Not  uncommon  migrant. 

Like  the  Redhead,  the"  Canvas-back  has  greatly  decreased  in 
numbers,  until  where  formerly  hundreds  were  observed,  now 
only  dozens  are  seen.  It  is  still  regularly  taken  by  hunters, 
sometimes  amid  floating  ice  in  the  river  as  early  as  February. 
It  is  often  seen  with  Redheads  and  its  migratory  periods  are 
about  the  same. 

MARILA  MARILA  (Linn.).    Scaup  Duck. 

Not  uncommon  migrant. 

The  Scaup  Duck  arrives  from  the  south  in  March  and  April, 
earlier  during  some  short  winters,  and  leaves  from  the  first 
week  in  November  to  the  middle  of  December.  It  generally 
consorts  with  the  two  following  species.  Of  late  years  it  has 
not  been  seen  in  such  large  flocks  as  formerly. 


236  Trans.  Acad.  Sci.  of  St.  Louis. 

All  three  species  of  the  Scaup  Ducks  are  known  to  local 
hunters  by  the  name  of  Blackjack,  though  this  one  is  some- 
times called  Bluebill. 

MARILA  APFINIS  (Eyton).    Lesser  Scaup  Duck. 
Abundant  migrant. 

The  common  Blackjack  ranks  with  the  Mallard  and  Pintail 
in  point  of  numbers  and  has  not  noticeably  decreased  during 
the  past  few  years.  A  familiar  sight  on  the  Missouri  River, 
when  the  bulk  of  the  birds  are  passing  through  on  the  north- 
ward flight,  is  to  see  immense  rafts  of  these  ducks  floating  down 
stream  with  the  current  busily  engaged  in  their  mating  an- 
tics. They  have  favorite  stretches  of  water  for  these  floats  and 
when  they  have  arrived  at  the  end  of  one  where  they  com- 
monly ''use/7  the  entire  flock  leaves  the  water  and  flies,  some- 
times miles,  to  the  starting  point  to  begin  the  float  all  over 
again.  During  these  times  they  are  easy  of  approach  though 
they  are  becoming  more  wary  of  the  motor-boat  than  for- 
merly. 

This  duck  is  not  a  very  desirable  table  fowl  but  is  slaughtered 
in  great  numbers  by  the  city  hunters. 

It  is  often  found  in  the  company  of  other  species  but  prefers 
to  flock  with  its  own  kind.  It  is  to  be  found  here  all  through 
the  migrating  season  in  varying  numbers,  though  never  in  mid- 
winter, and  is  often  seen  in  rather  large  flocks  on  the  different 
park  lakes.  Flocks  rest  for  days  on  the  lake  in  Penn  Valley 
taking  no  notice  of  the  traffic  but  a  few  yards  away.  Flocks  of 
considerable  size  are  often  seen  on  the  lakes  in  Swope  Park. 

MARILA  COLLARIS  (Donovan).    Ring-necked  Duck. 
Not  uncommon  migrant. 

This  species  precedes  the  other  Scaup  in  the  spring  and  is 
often  found  with  the  early  Redheads  and  Canvas-backs.  It  is 
not  as  common  as  formerly  but  is  regularly  taken  by  the  hunt- 
ers. It  is  the  least  numerous  of  the  Scaup. 

CLANGULA  CLANGULA  AMERICANA  Bonaparte.     Golden-eye. 
Rather  rare  migrant. 

This  strikingly  marked  duck  is  now  only  occasionally  seen  in 
twos  and  threes  on  the  Missouri  River,  where  formerly  it  was 
met  with  in  migration  in  occasional  flocks  of  dozens.  The  last 


Harris — Birds  of  the  Kansas  City  Region.  237 

visiting  flock  of  any  size  was  noted  on  March  11,  1914.  Two 
specimens  were  examined  in  a  hunter's  string  in  the  spring  of 
1916. 

CLANGULA  ISLANDICA  (Grmelin).     Barrow's  Golden-eye. 
Very  rare  winter  visitant. 

This  northern  bird  seldom  wanders  so  far  south  and  there 
are  but  two  authentic  records  of  its  capture  in  this  immediate 
neighborhood. 

CHARITONETTA  ALBEOLA   (Linn.).    Buffle-head. 
Irregular  and  not  common  migrant. 

Never  of  very  frequent  occurrence,  this  small  duck  is  as  likely 
to  be  met  with  in  February  as  in  May,  returning  from  the  north 
in  late  October  and  November.  During  some  years  several  small 
flocks  are  seen  and  in  other  years  none.  The  rivermen  call  this 
duck  the  Butterball  and  say  that  it  does  not  occur  as  fre- 
quently as  formerly. 

HERELDA  HYEMALIS    (Linn.).    Old-squaw. 
Very  rare  winter  visitant. 

Authentic  records  of  the  occurrence  of  this  duck  are  few, 
though  several  of  the  river  fishermen  claim  to  know  the  bird 
and  to  have  seen  it  several  times.  One  specimen  was  taken  by 
Bryant  in  1893. 

HISTRIONICUS  HISTRIONICUS  '(Linn.).    Harlequin  Duck. 
Very  rare  winter  visitant. 

There  are  but  two  records  of  the  occurrence  of  this  northern 
duck  in  this  vicinity.  One  specimen  was  taken  by  Wm.  An- 
drews on  the  Missouri  River  at  the  Eaton  tower  (date  not 
available)  and  the  other  was  killed  at  Lake  City  by  Bryant  in 
1887. 

OIDEMIA  AMERICANA  Swainson.     Scoter. 

Irregular  winter  visitant. 

River  men  claim  to  know  this  bird  but  the  fact  of  its  pres- 
ence here  was  not  authentically  established  until  1914.  During 
the  autumn  flight  of  that  year  several  dozen  specimens  were 
examined  at  different  times.  This  was  probably  an  exceptional 
invasion  of  this  duck  and  the  river  hunters  made  the  most  of  it. 


238  Trans.  Acad.  Sci.  of  St.  Louis. 

OIDEMIA  FUSCA  '(Linn.). 

MELANITTA    DEGLANDI    (Bonaparte).      Proposed    April,    1917. 

White-winged  Scoter. 
Accidental. 

The  only  authority  for  including  this  bird  is  the  mounted 
specimen  in  the  Public  Library,  without  data  but  said  to  have 
been  taken  near  by. 

OIDEMIA  PERSPICILLATA  (Linn.). 

MELANITTA    PERSPICILLATA     (Linn.).      Proposed    April,    1917. 

Surf  Scoter. 
Very  rare  winter  visitant. 

A  female  Surf  Scoter  taken  by  Charles  Bankers,  near  Corn- 
ing, and  beautifully  mounted  by  that  naturalist,  is  the  only 
record  of  the  occurrence  of  this  duck  in  this  part  of  Missouri. 
There  are  five  records  from  Lawrence,  one  given  by  Vernon 
Kellogg  (K.  C.  Scientist,  1891),  and  four  by  Bunker. 

ERISMATURA  JAMAICENSIS  (Gmelin).     Ruddy  Duck. 
Not  uncommon  but  irregular  migrant. 

Formerly  a  very  common  migrant,  the  Ruddy  Duck  has 
greatly  diminished  in  numbers.  It  is  irregular  in  its  occur- 
rence here,  some  years  appearing  in  quite  large  numbers.  A 
flock  of  between  50  and  100  was  seen  on  March  15,  1916,  float- 
ing down  the  Missouri  River  near  the  Hannibal  Bridge. 

Arriving  early  in  March  they  hurry  through  and  are  back  by 
the  middle  of  October,  and  all  have  left  by  the  last  week  in 
November. 

Subfamily  Anserinae.     Geese. 

CHEN  HYPERBOREUS  HYPERBOREUS  (Pallas).    Snow  Goose. 
Fairly  common  migrant. 

The  white  geese  begin  coming  late  in  February  and  are  not 
usually  seen  after  the  first  ten  days  in  April.  They  pass 
through  on  their  return  flight  from  the  middle  of  October  to 
the  middle  of  November. 

Occasional  records  for  mid-winter  and  early  February  have 
led  some  observers  to  assume  that  this  goose  remains  during 
open  winters.  It  would  be  so  easy  for  birds  with  such  powers 
of  flight  to  go  south  even  for  a  short  period  (as  their  near  rela- 
tives, the  Blue  Geese  are  known  to  do)  that  this  assumption 
seems  not  to  be  warranted  by  the  present  evidence. 


Harris — Birds  of  the  Kansas  City  Region.  239 

Hunters,  especially  on  the  Missouri  River,  still  bring  in  com- 
paratively large  numbers  of  these  geese  and  they  are  becoming 
more  scarce  every  year. 

When  the  " Migratory  Bird  Act"  is  enforced,  if  not  too  late, 
it  is  hoped  that  all  the  geese  will  immediately  begin  to  increase. 

CHEN  HYPERBOREUS  NIVALIS    (J.   R.   Forster).     Greater  Snow 

Goose. 
Not  very  common  migrant. 

This  form  of  Snow  Goose  is  not  of  such  regular  or  common 
occurrence  as  the  preceding  but  is  occasionally  taken  by  hunt- 
ers. Only  a  few  large  Snow  Geese  have  been  seen  during  recent 
years  and  it  is  considered  much  more  rare  than  formerly. 
There  are  five  authentic  records  of  its  occurrence  here  during 
the  past  several  seasons. 

It  is  difficult  to  distinguish  in  the  field  from  the  smaller 
form. 

CHEN  CAERULESCENS  (Linn.).    Blue  Goose. 
Common  migrant. 

The  time  of  arrival  and  departure  of  this  goose  is  about  the 
same  as  the  Snow  Goose  except  that  it  does  not  arrive  so  early 
as  February. 

Though  not  so  abundant  as  formerly,  the  presence  here  of 
some  very  large  flocks  during  the  past  two  years  encourages 
the  hope  that  the  species  may  be  on  the  increase.  Flocks  of 
from  50  to  250  are  not  uncommonly  seen  on  the  Missouri  River. 

ANSER  ALBIPRONS  GAMBELI  Hartlaub.     White-fronted  Goose. 
Fairly  common  migrant. 

Small  flocks  of  White-fronted  Geese  sometimes  arrive  as  early 
as  the  last  week  in  February  but  the  main  flight  is  about  a 
month  later.  They  return  about  the  middle  of  October  and 
the  last  are  seen  sometimes  as  late  as  early  December.  These 
occasional  February  and  December  records  have  led  some  ob- 
servers to  think  that  the  bird  remains  in  mild  winters.  This 
is  not  believed  to  be  the  case  since  extended  field  work  during 
January  in  several  open  winters  has  failed  to  show  them  pres- 
ent. 

Troops  of  a  few  dozen  birds  are  commonly  seen  all  through 
migration  times  on  the  Missouri  River  and  on  April  12,  1917, 
a  flock  of  250  was  observed. 


240  Trans.  Acad.  Sci.  of  St.  Louis. 

BRANTA  CANADENSIS  CANADENSIS  (Linn.).     Canada  Goose. 

Fairly  abundant  migrant  and   somewhat  common  winter  resident. 
Formerly  a  summer  resident. 

Flocks  of  hundreds  of  these  geese  are  still  to  be  seen,  espe- 
cially in  spring.  The  Canada  Goose  arrives  in  early  February 
and  March  and  leaves  on  the  southward  flight  in  November  or 
December,  depending  on  the  severity  of  the  season.  Canada 
Geese  have  been  frequently  observed  wintering  here  and  it  has 
been  no  uncommon  sight  to  see  these  wintering  flocks  tumbling 
pell  mell  into  the  current  of  the  Missouri  River  amid  great 
fields  and  agitated  masses  of  floating  ice.  Great  numbers  have 
been  killed  over  decoys  in  January  from  blinds  built  of  blocks 
of  ice  on  sand  bars  and  points. 

The  Wild  Goose  was  a  common  breeder  here  in  the  early  days 
in  the  bottom  land  jungles. 

Several  farmers  in  this  vicinity  have  extensive  flocks  of  do- 
mesticated Canada  Geese  which  breed  freely  in  confinement. 

Fine  specimens  of  this  and  the  Snow  Goose  as  well  as  several 
species  of  the  commoner  ducks  are  to  be  seen  in  the  Swope 
Park  Zoo. 

Long  lines  of  these  geese  pass  over  the  city  during  every  sea- 
son and  on  stormy  nights  during  migration  may  be  heard  honk- 
ing low  over  the  house  tops. 

BRANTA     CANADENSIS     HUTCHINSI     (Richardson).    Hutchins's 

Goose. 
Fairly  common  migrant. 

This  small  subspecific  form  of  the  Canada  Goose  is  often  seen 
in  rather  large  flocks  and  is  sometimes  found  flocking  with  its 
big  relative. 

Owing  to  increased  activity  in  manufacturing  and  transpor- 
tation, some  of  the  wilder  and  more  wary  water  fowl  have  of 
late  years  avoided  certain  stretches  of  the  Missouri  River  where 
they  formerly  "used,"  but  this  does  not  mean  that  there  has 
been  a  proportionate  decrease  in  their  numbers.  They  simply 
seek  greater  seclusion  further  up  the  river  or  lower  down.  This 
small  goose,  in  particular,  is  seldom  taken  in  the  county  but  is 
fairly  common  elsewhere  in  the  vicinity. 

Its  high  pitched  gabbling  note  was  formerly  an  important 
element  in  the  wild  music  so  keenly  enjoyed  and  appreciated 
by  ornithologists. 


Harris — Birds  of  the  Kansas  City  Region.     %       241 

Subfamily  Cygninae.     Swans. 

OLOR  COLUMBIANUS  (Ord).    Whistling  Swan. 
Very  rare  migrant. 

The  Whistling  Swan  is  still  occasionally  seen  on  the  Mis- 
souri River.  In  1897  a  specimen  was  taken  in  the  east  bottoms 
by  Bryant.  Two  specimens  were  brought  in  by  a  river  hunter 
on  November  22,  1915. 

The  older  sportsmen  tell  of  many  swans  being  taken  in  Jack- 
son County  in  former  years  but  they  are  unable  to  distinguish 
the  two  species. 

OLOR  BUCCINATOR  (Richardson).     Trumpeter  Swan. 
Formerly  a  migrant;  probably  now  extinct  in  this  vicinity. 

The  Trumpeter  Swan  was  formerly  a  regular  migrant  in  the 
Missouri  Valley.  The  only  known  specimen  is  the  one  in  the 
Library  collection.  This  bird  was  taken  by  Bryant  in  April, 
1900,  on  a  pond  at  75th  and  Holmes. 

Order  HERODIONES.     Herons,  Storks,  Ibises,  etc. 

Suborder  Ibides.     Spoonbills  and  Ibises. 

Family  IBIDIDAE.     Ibises. 

PLEGADIS  GUARAUNA  (Linn.).     White-faced  Glossy  Ibis. 
Very  rare  migrant. 

This  species  is  said  to  breed  regularly  in  Kansas,  even  north 
of  this  latitude,  but  has  been  taken  in  Missouri  but  twice.  Chas. 
E.  Bankers  took  a  specimen  October  8,  1907,  in  Holt  County. 

Suborder  Herodii.    Herons,  Egrets,  Bitterns,  Etc. 

Family  ARDEIDAE.     Herons,  Bitterns,  etc. 

Subfamily  Botaurinae.     Bitterns. 

BOTAURUS  LENTIGINOSUS  (Montagu).    Bittern. 
Common  migrant  and  rare  summer  resident. 

The  Bittern  arrives  about  April  10th  and  leaves  by  the  end 
of  October.  It  is  found  here  in  the  breeding  season  in  suitable 
localities  but  the  nest  has  not  been  discovered.  It  is  common 
in  migration  and  is  to  be  seen  along  the  streams  and  about 
lakes,  ponds  and  marshes.  Even  the  small  marshy  spot  in  the 


242  Trans.  Acad.  Sci.  of  St.  Louis. 

woods  by  the  Swope  Park  rifle  range  attracts  its  occasional  mi- 
grating Bittern.  On  October  26,  1916,  one  was  flushed  from 
the  bare  prairie  south  of  the  Country  Club  region.  This  is 
characteristic  of  this  species  as  they  migrate  broadcast  over  the 
country  and  do  not  follow  the  streams  as  do  others  of  their 
kind. 

IXOBRYCHUS  EXILIS  (Gmelin).    Least  Bittern. 

Fairly  common  migrant  and  not  uncommon  summer  resident. 

The  Least  Bittern  arrives  early  in  May  and  leaves  in  Sep- 
tember. It  has  been  known  to  breed  in  the  marshy  places  about 
Lake  City  and  would  no  doubt  be  found  nesting  commonly  in 
the  county  if  more  suitable  localities  were  to  be  found.  Sev- 
eral pair  were  found  breeding  at  Sugar  Lake,  Platte  County, 
in  1916. 

It  is  a  shy  bird  and  active  only  in  the  evening  in  the  places 
where  it  nests. 

Subfamily  Ardeinae.    Herons  and  Egrets. 

ARDEA  HERODIAS  HERODIAS  Linn.    Great  Blue  Heron. 
Common  migrant  and  occasional  summer  resident. 

Great  numbers  of  these  large  herons  migrate  up  and  down 
the  Missouri  River  and  resort  to  sloughs,  backwater  and  shal- 
lows around  sand-bars  to  feed. 

The  earliest  birds  arrive  around  March  18th  and  all  have 
left  by  the  last  week  in  November.  They  have  been  found 
nesting  in  the  tall  trees  by  the  old  Hiffner  Lake  near  Atherton. 
A  few  are  met  with  regularly  every  summer  during  the  entire 
season  in  favorable  feeding  places  in  the  Missouri  Valley.  These 
birds  may  nest  close  by  or  a  dozen  miles  away  as  they  fly  long 
distances  to  feed.  A  pair  observed  during  the  summer  of  1906 
at  the  mouth  of  the  Blue  were  believed  to  have  a  nest  in  the 
timber  on  the  Clay  County  side  but  it  could  not  be  located. 

HERODIAS  EGRETTA  (Gmelin).    Egret. 

Formerly  a  summer  visitant  and  possible  summer  resident. 

The  Egret  has  not  been  seen  in  this  vicinity  for  twenty  years. 
It  was  observed  on  the  Blue  River  above  Dodson  in  1895.  Tt 
has  been  observed  on  the  river  lakes  in  Platte  and  Buchanan 
Counties  in  former  years. 


Harris — Birds  of  the  Kansas  City  Region.  243 

EGRETTA  CANDIDISSIMA  CANDIDISSIMA   (Gmelin).     Snowy  Egret. 
Accidental. 

The  only  record  for  this  part  of  the  country  is  a  beautiful 
specimen  in  the  Bankers  collection  taken  in  Holt  County  on 
April  14,  1904. 

FLORIDA  CAERULEA  '(Lnm.).    Little  Blue  Heron. 
Irregular  summer  visitant. 

The  few  small  flocks  of  these  herons  that  have  been  seen  here 
are  wanderers  from  the  south  after  the  nesting  season.  Ten 
specimens  testify  to  its  occurrence  in  this  vicinity.  Eight  of 
these  were  taken  from  one  flock  by  Chas.  Bankers  on  August 
20,  1916. 

BUTORIDES  VIRESCENS  viRESCENS   (Linn.).    Green  Heron. 
Common  summer  resident. 

The  Green  Heron  arrives  about  the  middle  of  April  and  is 
seldom  seen  after  the  first  of  October.  Every  small  wooded 
creek  has  its  nesting  pairs.  It  nests  in  Swope  Park  and  along 
the  Blue  River  within  the  city.  It  is  very  common  in  the  Mis- 
souri Valley  and  in  the  valley  of  the  Little  Blue.  It  begins  lay- 
ing shortly  after  the  middle  of  May. 

This  heron  is  less  shy  than  others  of  the  family  and  falls  an 
easy  prey  to  many  thoughtless  gunners,  and  for  this  reason 
alone  is  noticeably  decreasing  in  numbers. 

NYCTICORAX  NYCTICORAX  NAEVIUS    (Boddaert).     Black-crowned 

Night  Heron. 
Rare  migrant  and  possible  summer  resident. 

The  Black-crowned  Night  Heron  arrives  about  the  middle  of 
April  and  leaves  by  the  middle  of  October.  It  is  much  less 
common  than  formerly.  It  has  been  known  to  breed  in  the 
counties  to  the  north  of  us  but  the  nest  has  never  been  found  in 
Jackson  County.  It  should  be  looked  for  in  suitable  localities. 

NYCTANASSA  VIOLACEA  (Linn.).     Yellow-crowned  Night  Heron. 
Very  rare  summer  resident. 

•  The  only  authentic  record  of  the  occurrence  of  this  heron  in 
this  vicinity  is  a  pair  seen  at  a  nearby  hunting  resort  on  April 
17,  1915. 


244  Trans.  Acad.  Sci.  of  St.  Louis. 

Order  PALUDICOLAE.     Cranes,  Rails,  etc. 

Suborder  Grues.    Cranes,  Courlans,  etc. 

Family  GRUIDAE.     Cranes. 

GRUS  AMERICANA  (Linn.).    Whooping  Crane. 
Occasional  migrant. 

Charles  Bankers  is  more  favorably  situated  for  observing  the 
large  water  birds  than  any  other  observer  in  this  part  of  the 
state.  He  reports  this  large  crane  as  very  rare.  He  collected 
a  specimen  on  April  14,  1904,  saw  one  on  March  27,  1913,  and 
noted  a  small  flock  of  five  birds  on  his  farm  in  the  spring  of 
1906. 

Jno.  A.  Bryant,  who  states  that  this  bird  was  common  for- 
merly, took  a  specimen  in  the  spring  of  1893,  in  this  county. 

GRUS  CANADENSIS.    Little  Brown  Crane. 
Rather  rare  migrant. 

The  Little  Brown  Crane  migrates  regularly  through  this  re- 
gion and  has  been  taken  in  adjacent  territory  on  all  sides. 
There  is  little  doubt  that  a  few  of  the  sight  records  of  the 
Sandhill  Crane  in  this  region  properly  belong  to  the  Little 
Brown,  as  the  two  are  not  readily  distinguishable  in  the  field. 

GRUS  MEXICANA  (Muller).    Sandhill  Crane. 
Regular  and  not  very  rare  migrant. 

In  favorable  localities  in  this  vicinity  a  few  of  these  mag- 
nificent birds  are  seen  regularly  during  every  spring  migration 
and  occasionally  in  the  fall.  The  following  are  some  of  Charles 
Bankers'  dates: 

March  23,  1902,  a  flock  of  thirty  were  seen. 

March  30,  1903,  a  flock  of  thirty  were  seen. 

March  22,  1905,  a  flock  of  twenty  were  seen. 

April  8,  1906,  one  specimen  was  taken  from  a  flock  of  ten. 

April  15,  1906,  a  single  bird  was  taken. 

October  18,  1909,  three  specimens  were  taken  from  a  large 
flock. 

April  2,  1910,  one  specimen  was  taken. 

March  23,  1911,  a  flock  of  fifteen  was  seen. 

March  30,  1912,  seven  birds  were  seen. 


Harris — Birds  of*the  Kansas  City  Region.  245 

March  24,  1913,  a  flock  of  fifteen  was  seen. 

March  21,  1916,  a  flock  of  ninety  was  seen. 

In  the  spring  of  1917  (date  not  received)  several  small  flocks 
were  seen. 

These  data  show  that  the  Sandhill  Crane  arrives  during  the 
last  week  in  March  on  the  northward  flight  and  that  it  some- 
times returns  this  way  during  October. 

A  small  number  of  these  noisy  cranes  were  heard  circling  low 
over  the  mouth  of  the  Blue  one  stormy  night  in  March  in  1909. 
Two  were  seen  by  Judge  Guinotte  on  the  Missouri  River  dur- 
ing the  first  week  of  October,  1917. 

Suborder  Ralli.    Rails,  Gallinules,  Coots,  etc. 

Family  RALLIDAE.     Rails,  Gallinules  and  Coots. 

Subfamily  Rallinae.     Rails. 

RALLUS  ELEGANS  Audubon.    King  Rail. 

Not  uncommon  migrant  and  rather  rare  summer  resident. 

The  King  Rail  arrives  early  in  April  and  leaves  in  late 
October.  It  has  been  reported  breeding  about  Lake  City  and 
nests  regularly  in  the  up-river  counties. 

This  rail  is  well  known  to  duck  hunters  who  report  it  a  reg- 
ular and  not  uncommon  migrant  on  the  neighboring  lakes  and 
swamps. 

Dankers  has  mounted  a  pair  with  three  young  which  were 
taken  on  his  place  on  July  26,  1903. 

RALLUS  VIRGINIANUS  Linn.     Virginia  Rail. 
Common  migrant  and  rare  summer  resident. 

Tindall  found  this  rail  nesting  at  Lake  City  in  1892,  1895 
and  1903.  It  is  commonly  seen  in  migration  in  the  marshy 
places  it  frequents  and  its  dates  of  occurrence  are  about  the 
same  as  the  following  species. 

PORZANA  CAROLINA  (Linn.).    Sora. 

Common  migrant  and  rare  summer  resident. 

The  Sora  arrives  about  April  18th  and  leaves  in  late  October. 
It  was  found  nesting  by  Bush  and  Tindall  at  Lake  City  on 
August  22,  1896.  A  set  of  ten  eggs  was  taken  near  Independ- 
ence and  is  now  in  the  collection  of  0.  E.  Sheley. 


246  Trans.  Acad.  Sci.  of  St.  Louis. 

COTURNICOPS  NOVEBORACENSIS  (Gmelin).    Yellow  Rail. 
Rare  migrant. 

On  account  of  its  very  retiring  habits  this  rail  is  seldom 
seen.  Tindall  took  a  specimen  near  Independence  on  April  14, 
1901.  Bankers  took  one  specimen  at  Corning  on  May  5,  1904, 
and  two  on  October  15,  1916,  in  an  alfalfa  field.  This  October 
record  is  the  only  fall  record  for  the  State  of  Missouri. 

This  bird  is  said  to  be  a  rare  summer  resident  a  few  coun- 
ties north  of  here,  but  this  statement  has  never  been  verified. 

[CRECISCUS  JAMAICENSIS  (Gmelin).    Black  Kail.] 
Possible  migrant  and  summer  resident. 

There  are  no  available  records  of  the  occurrence  here  of  this 
elusive  little  skulker  but  there  can  be  little  doubt  that  it  visits 
this  vicinity  regularly.  It  is  included  in  this  list  to  call  the  at- 
tention of  students  to  the  possibility  of  establishing  its  presence 
here. 

Subfamily  Gallinulinae.    Gallinules. 

ICNORNIS  MARTINICUS  (Linn.).  Purple  Gallinule. 
Accidental. 

An  immature  Purple  Gallinule  was  captured  alive  and  in  a 
starving  condition  in  the  east  bottoms  on  December  30,  1915. 
The  skin  is  now  in  the  collection  of  Miss  Jennie  Clements  of 
Independence  and  is  the  only  known  record  for  this  part  of  the 
country.  There  are  but  two  other  records  for  the  State  of  Mis- 
souri. 

GALLINULA  GALEATA  (Lichtenstein). 

GALLINULA  CHLOROPUS  CACHINNANS  Bangs.     Proposed  October, 

1916.    Florida  Gallinule. 
Not  uncommon  migrant  and  very  rare  summer  resident. 

For  some  unknown  reason  this  bird  arrives  here  about  two 
weeks  or  more  earlier  than  at  St.  Louis.  Widmann  reports  that 
it  arrives  there  after  the  first  of  May,  but  it  has  been  seen  here 
during  several  years  from  the  13th  to  25th  of  April. 

It  was  found  nesting  at  Lake  City  by  Tindall  in  1904  and  has 
been  seen  during  the  breeding  season  in  Platte  County  in  1916 
and  1917. 

This  bird  was  once  very  common  and  has  only  of  recent  years 
become  rare. 


Harris — Birds  of  the  Kansas  City  Region.  247 

Subfamily  Fulicinae.     Coots. 

FULICA  AMERICANA  Gmelin.     Coot. 

Abundant  migrant  and  not  uncommon  summer  resident. 

The  bulk  of  the  flight  comes  rather  late,  just  ahead  of  the 
Blue-winged  Teal  and  Shovellers,  though  a  noticeable  number 
are  here  often  as  early  as  the  last  week  in  February  (twenty 
on  Feb.  25,  1917).  They  begin  leaving  in  September  and  very 
few  are  seen  after  early  November. 

Coots  breed  in  the  county  wherever  they  can  find  suitable 
nesting  sites.  A  pair  nested  on  the  Blue  within  the  city  limits 
during  the  summer  of  1913,  but  succeeded  in  raising  only  one 
young.  Immediately  on  the  opening  day  of  the  shooting  season 
all  three  birds  were  promptly  slaughtered  by  the  first  hunter 
that  passed  on  his  way  to  the  Missouri  Eiver. 

Tremendous  flocks  of  Mudhens  migrate  up  the  Missouri  Val- 
ley and  one  flock  seen  on  April  13,  1917,  was  estimated  to  con- 
tain ten  thousand  birds. 

During  the  flight  they  are  commonly  seen  on  all  the  park 
lakes  and  city  ponds. 

Order  LIMICOLAE.     Shore  Birds. 
Family  PHALAROPODIDAE.    Phalaropes. 

PHALAROPUS  PULICARIUS  (Linn.).    Red  Phalarope. 
Very  rare  migrant. 

The  Red  Phalarope  is  said  by  several  of  the  river-fishermen 
to  occur  now  and  then  during  migration,  but  authentic  records 
are  scarce.  A  specimen  was  taken  on  the  Kaw  River  near  Law- 
rence on  November  5,  1905;  another  specimen,  the  head  and 
feet  of  which  were  examined,  was  taken  by  Wm.  Andrews  on 
the  Missouri  River  in  Jackson  County  on  October  20,  1917.  A 
few  unauthenticated  records  are  known. 

LOBIPES  LOBATUS  (Linn.).     Northern  Phalarope. 
Casual,  probably  accidental. 

The  only  known  record  of  the  occurrence  of  the  Northern 
Phalarope  in  this  region  is  the  specimen  referred  to  by  Wid- 
mann  (p.  63),  which  was  taken  in  Platte  County,  opposite  Leav- 
enworth.  This  species  can  be  of  only  casual  occurrence  in  this 
part  of  the  country. 


248  Trans.  Acad.  Sci.  of  St.  Louis. 

STEGANOPUS  TRICOLOR  Vieillot.    Wilson's  Phalarope. 

Fairly  common  migrant. 

The  Wilson's  Phalarope  arrives  from  about  April  20th  to 
25th  (April  11,  1916)  and  again  in  August  and  September.  Has 
been  seen  in  spring  as  late  as  the  middle  of  May. 

Whenever  the  mud  flats  at  the  mouth  of  the  Blue  River  are 
not  submerged  by  backwater  from  the  Missouri,  large  numbers 
of  these  beautiful  birds  resort  there  to  feed  and  rest  during 
their  long  migratory  flights.  They  have  been  taken  both  in  the 
showy  spring  plumage  and  the  more  sombre  winter  dress. 

Family  RECURVIROSTRIDAE.     Avocets  and  Stilts. 

RECURVIROSTRA  AMERICANA  Gmelin.    Avocet. 
Very  rare  migrant. 

Rivermen  have  given  us  descriptions  of  birds  taken  which 
seem  to  apply  to  this  species,  but  we  have  been  able  to  find  only 
the  following  actual  records:  Wm.  Andrews  took  a  specimen  on 
the  Missouri  River  near  the  Eaton  tower  in  the  spring  of  1912. 
Bush  reports  one  taken  near  Courtney  in  the  spring  of  1914. 
Bryant  took  a  pair  at  Bean  Lake  in  October,  1894. 

Family   SCOLOPACIDAE.     Snipes,    Sandpipers,   etc. 

PHILOHELA  MINOR  (Gmelin).    Woodcock. 

Very  rare  migrant  and  former  summer  resident. 

Bush  states  that  the  Woodcock  formerly  nested  in  this  county, 
but  was  never  numerous  either  as  a  migrant  or  breeder. 

Two  were  taken  on  the  old  Kenoche  farm  near  the  mouth  of 
Big  Blue  by  Bryant  in  the  spring  of  1894.  Another  specimen 
was  taken  near  the  same  place  by  Dick  Spiker  on  March  18, 
1914.  One  was  seen  feeding  in  Shilo  on  May  30, 1915,  by  Walter 
Cunningham. 

Very  few  of  the  great  numbers  that  winter  in  the  southeastern 
part  of  the  state  seem  to  come  this  way  on  their  spring  migra- 
tion ;  it  is  probable  that  the  bird  is  nearly  extinct  in  this  part  of 
the  country. 

GALLINAGO  DELICATA  (Ord).    Wilson's  Snipe. 
Fairly  common  migrant. 

This  once  abundant  game  bird  was  formerly  a  common  sight 
on  every  wet  grassy  spot.  It  is  still  present  from  about  the 


Harris — Birds  of  the  Kansas  City  Region.  249 

10th  of  March  to  the  end  of  April  (often  later)  and  again  from 
the  first  of  September  to  the  middle  of  November. 

It  still  occurs  in  enough  numbers  to  attract  sportsmen  and 
Jacksnipe  shooting  has  not  yet  become  obsolete  for  lack  of  vic- 
tims. 

A  flock  of  a  dozen  or  two  spent  a  week  on  the  wet  meadow 
adjoining  the  Swope  Park  rifle  range  in  early  May  of  1917.  This 
is  a  favorable  feeding  place  where  they  may  be  looked  for  every 
spring  when  conditions  are  right. 

Fast-flying  flocks  of  these  birds  are  a  rather  common  sight  on 
the  Missouri  River  during  migration. 

[MACRORHAMPHUS  GRISEUS  GRISEUS  (Gmelin).    Dowitcher.] 
Probable  migrant. 

While  there  are  no  specimens  at  hand  to  establish  the  occur- 
rence of  this  bird  here,  there  is  no  doubt  that  it  passes  up  the 
Missouri  Valley  in  its  migration.  A  flock  of  shore  birds  seen  at 
the  mouth  of  the  Big  Blue  late  in  the  spring  of  1916  was  rather 
unsatisfactorily  identified  as  belonging  to  this  species  or  to  the 
subspecies  scolopaceus.  It  is  listed  here  in  order  that  students 
may  be  on  the  lookout  for  it. 

MACRORHAMPHUS    GRISEUS    SCOLOPACEUS     (Say).      Long-billed 

Dowitcher. 
Rare  migrant. 

A  pair  of  these  birds  were  collected  by  Bankers  in  Holt  County 
on  October  16,  1916.  Lack  of  data  prevents  the  working  out  of 
the  migration  periods.  It  is  understood  to  have  been  common 
formerly,  but  has  become  a  rare  bird. 

MICROPALAMA  HiMANTOPUS  (Bonaparte).    Stilt  Sandpiper. 
Rather  rare  migrant. 

A  small  flock  of  six  birds  was  observed  at  the  mouth  of  Big 
Blue  on  April  16,  1914.  A  specimen  was  taken  near  the  city  by 
Tindall  on  April  17,  1902,  and  another  on  April  30,  1902.  Fur- 
ther migration  data  are  lacking. 

TRINGA  CANUTUS  Linn. 

CANUTUS   CANUTUS   RUFUS    (Wilson).      Proposed   April,    1917. 

Knot. 
Occasional  migrant. 

A  beautiful  specimen  of  this  bird  in  full  spring  plumage  was 


250  Trans.  Acad.  Sci.  of  St.  Louis. 

taken  on  the  lower  Blue  River  on  May  6,  1914,  and  another  seen 
in  the  same  place  on  May  8,  1914.  A  specimen  has  been  reported 
from  Platte  County  and  another  from  a  point  about  forty  miles 
to  the  west.  No  other  datum  is  at  hand. 

ARQUATELLA   MARITIMA   MARITIMA    (Brunnich).     Purple   Sand- 
piper. 
Accidental. 

The  Purple  Sandpiper  is  listed  on  the  strength  of  the  speci- 
men taken  near  here  by  Dr.  Hoy  in  1854  (19th  Annual  Report 
Smithsonian  for  1864).  , 

PISOBIA  MACULATA   (Vieillot).     Pectoral  Sandpiper. 
Very  common  migrant. 

The  Pectoral  Sandpiper  arrives  from  the  12th  to  18th  of 
April,  in  some  years  much  earlier  (March  15,  1905;  March  30, 
1911;  March  24,  1916),  and  is  present  until  the  last  of  May. 
It  is  seen  sometimes  as  early  as  the  middle  of  August,  on  the 
return  flight  from  the  north,  and  the  last  birds  have  not  passed 
until  early  November.  It  is  often  observed  in  very  large  flocks 
along  the  Missouri  bottoms  about  suitable  shallow  feeding  places. 

During  the  passing  of  the  bulk  of  the  flight,  usually  the  last 
week  in  April,  small  flocks  have  been  seen  about  the  lagoon  in 
Swope  Park. 

PISOBIA  FUSCICOLLIS  (Vieillot).     White-rumped  Sandpiper. 
Not  uncommon  migrant. 

This  bird  has  been  frequently  observed  on  the  river  and  a  few 
times  on  ponds.  All  the  available  dates  of  its  appearance  are  in 
the  first  week  in  May.  The  migration  periods  have  not  been 
worked  out. 

PISOBIA  BAIRDI  (Coues).    Baird's  Sandpiper. 
Not  uncommon  migrant. 

The  Baird's  Sandpiper  is  present  from  the  middle  of  April 
to  the  first  of  June  and  from  the  last  of  August  to  nearly  the 
middle  of  October  (October  13,  1893).  It  is  usually  found  with 
other  small  sandpipers.  A  recent  record  is  one  specimen  taken 
on  the  Missouri  River,  near  Courtney,  by  A.  F.  Frazier,  on 
April  17,  1914. 


Harris — Birds  of  the  Kansas  City  Region.  251 

PISOBIA  MINUTILLA  (Vieillot).    Least  Sandpiper. 

Very  common  migrant.        rt 

The  Least  Sandpiper  arrives  as  early  as  the  2nd  of  April  and 
is  present  until  the  last  week  in  May.  The  earliest  southbound 
flock  noted  was  on  July  12,  1914,  about  three  weeks  earlier  than 
the  average  time  of  arrival.  The  last  have  usually  left  by  the 
last  week  in  October. 

This  sandpiper  is  still  seen  in  apparently  as  large  numbers 
as  formerly.  It  may  be  looked  for  about  any  small  pond  or 
stream,  though  most  abundant  on  the  sloughs  and  mud  flats  in 
the  Missouri  River  flood  plain. 

PELIDNA  ALPINA  SAKHALIN  A  (Vieillot).     Red-backed  Sandpiper. 
Rare  migrant. 

A  flock  of  fifteen  Red-backed  Sandpipers  were  closely  watched 
on  the  mud  flat  at  the  mouth  of  the  Blue  on  May  16,  1914.  There 
are  records  of  its  occurrence  here  during  four  other  years  when 
specimens  were  taken. 

The  characteristic  field  mark  of  this  bird  in  spring  is  the  black 
belly.  The  student  must  not  be  led  astray  when  he  has  under 
observation  small  shore  birds  of  other  species  that  have  waded 
out  in  soft  mud  and  stained  the  under  parts. 

EREUNETES  PUSILLUS  (Linn.).    Semipalmated  Sandpiper. 
Very  common  migrant. 

The  migration  dates  for  the  Semipalmated  Sandpiper  are 
about  the  same  as  for  the  Least  Sandpiper.  These  two  species 
are  among  the  commonest  shore  birds  and  occur  in  about  equal 
abundance.  They  are  found  along  the  river  sometimes  in  im- 
mense flocks  and  are  often  accompanied  by  other  small  sand- 
pipers and  Semipalmated  Plovers. 

While  feeding  these  flocks  may  be  easily  approached  and 
studied  at  close  range,  as  they  are  not  so  wild  as  the  larger  shore 
birds  which  are  more  often  disturbed  by  gunners. 

EREUNETES  MAURI  Cabanis.     Western  Sandpiper. 
Occasional  migrant. 

Several  specimens  of  this  sandpiper  have  been  taken  in  this 
part  of  the  country,  both  to  the  east  and  west,  but  not  in  this 
immediate  neighborhood.  It  has  been  identified  two  or  three 


252  Trans.  Acad.  Sci.  of  St.  Louis. 

times  in  spring  flocks  of  other  shore  birds,  but  no  specimens 
have  been  taken. 

CALIDRIS  LEUCOPHAEA  (Pallas).    Sanderling. 
Occasional  migrant. 

A  small  flock  of  six  Sanderlings  was  seen  on  March  21,  1902, 
and  a  single  specimen  was  taken  on  April  17,  1902.  There  are  no 
further  local  data  for  this  species. 

LIMOSA  FEDOA  (Linn.).    Marbled  Godwit. 
Rare  migrant. 

This  large  wader,  though  formerly  common,  has  become  quite 
rare.  A  small  flock  was  seen  on  the  river  April  18,  1911.  Two 
specimens  in  the  Dankers  collection  we're  taken  May  8,  1908. 

LIMOSA  HAEMASTICA  (Linn.).     Hudsonian  Godwit. 
Rather  rare  migrant. 

The  Hudsonian  Godwit  is  occasionally  seen  in  small  flocks  on 
the  Missouri  River.  A  group  of  nine  finely  mounted  birds  in 
the  Dankers  collection  were  taken  on  that  farm  May  15,  1910. 
A  few  birds  were  seen  April  20,  1911,  and  a  flock  of  twelve  were 
observed  on  April  28,  1916. 

TOT  ANUS  MELANOLEUCUS  (Gmelin).     Greater  Yellow-legs. 
Fairly  common  migrant. 

The  Greater  Yellow-legs  arrive  from  the  south  from  the  18th 
to  22nd  of  March,  becoming  fairly  common  between  April  10th 
and  20th  and  are  rarely  seen  after  the  first  of  May  (two  late 
dates  are  May  6,  1914,  and  May  9,  1914).  They  are  found  here 
irregularly  in  the  fall  from  the  first  of  September  to  the  middle 
of  November. 

TOTANUS  FLAVIPES  (Gmelin).    Yellow-legs. 
Fairly  abundant  migrant. 

The  pleasing  double  and  triple  whistle  of  the  Yellow-legs  is 
to  be  heard  on  all  sides  in  favorable  places  when  the  spring 
flight  is  at  its  height,  usually  from  the  12th  to  25th  of  April. 
The  migration  dates  are  about  the  same  as  for  the  preceding 
species,  except  that  it  remains  a  little  longer  on  the  northward 
flight  and  arrives  earlier  on  the  return,  usually  about  the  mid- 
dle of  August. 

An  exceptionally  heavy  flight  during  the  latter  part  of  April, 


Harris — Birds  of  the  Kansas  City  Region.  253 

1917,  is  a  hopeful  sign  that  the  bird  is  at  least  not  materially 
decreasing  in  numbers.  ^ 

It  is  often  seen  along  the  Blue,  especially  along  the  lower 
reaches,  and  about  the  Swope  Park  lagoon. 

HELODROMAS  SOLITARIUS  SOLITARIUS   (Wilson).     Solitary  Sand- 
piper. 
Very  commmon  migrant. 

The  Solitary  Sandpiper  is  present  in  spring  from  the  middle 
of  April  to  the  middle  of  May  and  in  autumn  from  the  middle 
of  August  to  early  in  October,  an  exceptionally  late  date  being 
October  31,  1901. 

It  is  to  be  found  everywhere  along  waterways,  lakes,  ponds, 
and  even  woodland  pools.  It  was  found  late  in  April,  1917, 
with  the  Bittern  and  Grinell's  Water  Thrush  in  the  little 
swampy  place  in  the  timber  just  off  the  rifle  range  in  Swope 
Park.  During  migration  it  is  common  all  along  the  Blue  and 
even  on  Brush  Creek. 

CATOPTROPHORUS      SEMIPALMATUS      SEMIPALMATUS       (Gmelin). 

Willet. 
Not  rare  migrant. 

The  Willet  has  been  seen  infrequently  of  late  years,  but  its 
plaintive  whistle  is  regularly  heard  at  night  during  migration, 
especially  in  blustery  weather.  This  may,  of  course,  be  the 
western  form,  but  both  occur  here.  A  specimen  taken  by  Bry- 
ant on  April  9,  1903,  is  said  to  be  referable  to  the  eastern  form, 
but  has  not  been  examined.  Two  specimens  have  been  taken 
thirty  miles  west  of  this  county. 

CATOPTROPHORUS  SEMIPALMATUS  INORNATUS   (Brewster).    West- 
ern Willet. 
Rare  migrant. 

Three  birds  of  this  subspecies  were  taken  from  a  flock  on  a 
slough  in  the  Missouri  bottoms  on  May  6,  1914.  This  is  all  the 
local  data  on  this  bird  available  at  this  time. 

BARTRAMIA  LONGICAUDA  (Bechstein).    Upland  Plover. 
Not  uncommon  migrant  and  rare  summer  resident. 

This  fine  game  bird  was  formerly  abundant  on  the  prairie  re- 
gions of  Jackson  County  and  was  brought  in  in  great  numbers  by 


254  Trans.  Acad.  Sci.  of  St.  Louis. 

sportsmen.  The  prairie  around  Waldo  and  what  is  now  the 
Country  Club  district  were  favorite  hunting  grounds  and  an 
occasional  migrant  is  still  seen  in  that  vicinity. 

They  formerly  bred  commonly  in  the  county  and  a  nesting 
pair  were  seen  by  Bush  as  late  as  1902  near  Swope  Park.  Two 
sets  of  eggs  were  taken  near  Independence  by  Tindall  on  June 
11,  1891,  and  June  17,  1891,  respectively.  A  few  specimens 
have  been  taken  lately  by  Bankers. 

The  Upland  Plover  is  often  heard  migrating  at  night  in  the 
last  week  of  April  and  in  August  and  September. 

TRYNGITES  SUBRUPICOLLIS  (Vieillot).     Buff-breasted  Sandpiper. 
Rather  rare  and  irregular  migrant. 

This  bird,  sometimes  called  the  Grass  Snipe,  appears  during 
the  last  half  of  April  and  first  half  of  May  and  again  in  Sep- 
tember. During  some  years  it  is  not  seen.  It  generally  occurs 
in  small  flocks  and  but  few  specimens  have  ever  been  taken 
here.  Chas.  Tindall  took  nine  birds  from  a  rather  large  flock 
on  a  sandbar  in  the  Missouri  River  near  the  Eaton  bend  on 
September  15,  1901. 

This  sandpiper  may  be  looked  for  on  the  uplands  as  well  as 
near  water. 

ACTITIS  MACULARIUS  (Linn.).     Spotted  Sandpiper. 
Very  common  migrant  and  not  uncommon  summer  resident. 

The  Spotted  Sandpiper  arrives  about  April  20th  (April  9, 
1915,  earliest)  and  but  few  are  seen  after  the  middle  of  October. 
The  bulk  of  the  flight  passes  north  in  early  May  and  south  in 
September.  These  birds  are  present  in  some  numbers  all  through 
the  summer. 

In  migration  Spotted  Sandpipers  may  be  looked  for  wherever 
there  is  water,  but  in  summer  are  found  only  on  or  near  the  Mis 
souri  River. 

NUMENIUS  AMERICANUS  Bechstein.    Long-billed  Curlew. 
Occasional  migrant. 

Hunters  seem  to  know  this  bird  very  well,  but  are  unable  to 
give  any  information  regarding  it  except  that  it  was  once  com- 
mon and  is  now  rarely  seen. 

Only  six  authentic  records  are  known  of  its  occurrence  here. 
One  is  given  by  Bush,  who  saw  a  flock  of  seven  in  the  spring  of 


Harris — Birds  of  the  Kansas  City  Region.  255 

1906.  A  single  bird  was  observed  May  25,  1905.  Two  speci- 
mens have  been  taken  by  Bryant  at  Coolly  Lake  and  Lake  City 
respectively.  Four  birds  were  seen  by  Judge  Guinotte  on  a 
sandbar  near  Sibley  on  November  2,  1917. 

NUMENIUS  BOREALIS  (J.  B.  Forster) .     Eskimo  Curlew. 
Formerly  common  spring  migrant,  now  probably  extinct. 

This  curlew,  like  the  Golden  Plover,  migrates  south  over  the 
Atlantic  Ocean  from  Nova  Scotia  in  the  fall,  only  a  few  choos- 
ing the  inland  route  at  that  season,  but  all  return  in  the  spring 
up  the  Mississippi  and  Missouri  valleys.  No  specimen  of  this 
once  common  game  bird  has  been  seen  in  this  vicinity  for  many 
years  and  it  is  now  considered  nearly,  if  not  quite,  extinct. 

Family  CHARADRIIDAE.     Plovers. 

iSQUATAROLA  SQUATAROLA   (Linn.). 

SQUATAROLA   SQUATAROLA   CYNOSURAE   Thayer   &   Bangs.     Pro- 
posed October,  1916.     Black-bellied  Plover. 
Very  rare  and  irregular  migrant. 

This  bird  was  a  not  uncommon  migrant  prior  to  1890;  it  has 
now  become  so  rare  that  many  years  pass  without  one  being 
seen.  None  had  been  seen  or  reported  for  five  years  prior  to 
1916,  when  Tindall  killed  one  out  of  a  small  flock  on  the  Mis- 
souri River  near  Courtney  on  November  13th. 

CHARADRIUS  DOMINICUS  DOMINICUS  (Muller).    Golden  Plover. 
Not  rare  migrant  in  spring;   very  rare  in  autumn. 

Like  the  Upland  Plover,  the  Golden  Plover  was  formerly 
taken  in  great  numbers  on  the  prairie  regions  of  western  Jack- 
son County.  It  is  now  greatly  reduced  in  numbers,  though 
small  flocks  are  still  seen  during  the  latter  part  of  April  and 
rarely  in  October  and  November,  as  the  bulk  of  the  flight  in 
autumn  takes  the  Atlantic  route. 

It  is  to  be  looked  for  on  the  uplands  as  well  as  about  marshes 
and  swampy  places. 

OXYECHUS  VOCIFERUS  (Linn.).    Killdeer. 

Common  migrant  and  not  uncommon  summer  resident. 

The  early  arrivals  from  the  south  appear  from  the  middle 
to  the  last  of  February  and  a  month  later  the  bulk  of  the  mi- 


256  Trans.  Acad.  Sci.  of  St.  Louis. 

grants  are  here.     The  heaviest  flight  is  here  again  during  Sep- 
tember and  early  November. 

The  Killdeer  may  be  looked  for  everywhere  about  water,  in 
upland  fields  and  meadows,  and  on  the  prairies.  It  has  been 
frequently  seen  in  Swope  Park. 

AEGIALITIS  SEMIPALMATA    (Bonaparte).     Semipalmated  Plover. 

Fairly  common  migrant. 

This  little  plover  is  usually  found  in  the  company  of  other 
small  shore  birds  and  is  not  often  found  far  from  the  Missouri 
River.  The  earliest  date  of  arrival  is  April  19th  (1899  and  1914). 
It  is  present  until  the  middle  of  May  and  again  from  about  the 
10th  of  August  until  late  in  September. 

AEGIALITIS  MELODA  (Ord).    Piping  Plover. 

Very  rare  migrant. 

The  Piping  Plover  occurs  occasionally  on  the  Missouri  River. 
Only  one  specimen  has  been  taken  in  the  vicinity. 

PODASOCYS  MONTANUS  (J.  K.  Townsend).     Mountain  Plover. 

Accidental. 

Bush  asserts  that  several  pairs  of  these  western  birds  nested 
in  the  meadows  near  Courtney  in  1887.  He  states  that  they 
have  been  found  in  small  numbers  during  a  few  other  years, 
but  the  bird  can  be  considered  as  only  accidental  here. 

Family  APHRIZIDAE.     Surf-birds  and  Turnstones. 
Subfamily  Arenariinae.     Turnstones. 

ABENARIA  INTERPRES  MORINELLA  (Linn.).     Ruddy  Turnstone. 
Occasional  migrant. 

A  flock  of  seven  of  these  birds  was  seen  on  the  Missouri  River, 
in  Jackson  County,  on  April  30,  1903.  There  are  only  two  rec- 
ords of  specimens  taken  in  this  vicinity,  the  latest  being  on 
October  20,  1917,  by  William  Andrews,  on  the  Missouri  River, 
near  Courtney. 

Suborder  Phasiani.    Pheasants,  Grouse,  Partridges,  Quails,  etc. 
Family   ODONTOPHORIDAE.     Bob-whites,   Quails,   etc. 

COLINUS  VIRGINIANUS  viRGiNiANUS   (Linn.).     Bob-white. 
Common  resident. 

The  Bob-white  nests  regularly  within  the  city  limits.    In  1915 


Harris — Birds  of  the  Kansas  City  Region.  257 

five  nests  were  found  inside  the  southern  and  western  bound- 
aries. Winter  coveys  are  likely  to  be  found  anywhere  in  the 
county,  in  the  Missouri  bottoms,  on  the  prairie  regions  or  wher- 
ever there  is  suitable  cover. 

The  local  migrations  of  these  birds  from  exposed  to  more 
sheltered  places,  spoken  of  by  Widmann,  has  once  been  observed 
by  Bush.  He  saw  a  large  covey  alight  in  an  exhausted  condi- 
tion on  the  river  bank  near  old  Wayne  City  after  having  crossed 
a  wide  expanse  of  river.  Several  of  the  birds  were  unable  to 
make  the  flight  and  fell  into  the  current. 

An  occasional  albino  is  seen  and  there  are  several  specimens 
extant. 

Family   TETRAONIDAE.     Grouse,    Spruce   Partridges, 
Ptarmigans,  etc. 

BON  ASA  UMBELLUS  UMBELLus  (Linn.).    Ruffed  Grouse. 
Former  resident;  now  extinct. 

According  to  Bush,  the  Ruffed  Grouse  made  its  last  stand  in 
the  wooded  hills  of  the  Little  Blue  in  the  southeastern  part  of 
the  county.  They  were  long  ago  driven  out  by  the  settling  of 
the  country  and  only  the  older  sportsmen  remember  them. 

The  specimen  preserved  by  Bryant  was  taken  by  him  near 
Independence  in  1874. 

TYMPANUCHUS  AMERICANUS  AMERICANUS  (Reichenbach).  Prairie 

Chicken. 
Former  resident;  probably  now  extinct  in  this  county. 

A  Prairie  Chicken  seen  in  the  southeastern  part  of  the  county 
in  1915  was  probably  a  straggler  from  the  north,  as  the  bird 
has  not  been  regularly  noted  here  since  late  in  the  nineties. 

It  was  formerly  abundant  about  the  city  and  as  late  as  1884 
resorted  regularly  in  the  evenings  to  a  feeding  place  on  what 
is  now  known  as  Hospital  Hill. 

Tindall  found  a  nest  containing  twelve  eggs  near  Independ- 
ence on  May  7,  1891.  Three  specimens  in  the  Bankers  collec- 
tion were  taken  prior  to  1904.  This  bird  is  gone  from  Jackson 
County  never  to  return. 


258  Trans.  Acad.  Sci.  of  St.  Louis. 

Family  MELEAGRIDAE.    Turkeys. 

MELEAGRIS  GALLOPAVO  SILVESTRIS  Vieillot.    Wild  Turkey. 
Formerly  an  abundant  resident.    Now  extinct  in  this  vicinity. 

Many  records  exist  testifying  to  the  local  abundance  of  the 
Wild  Turkey  in  early  days.  The  latest  dates  are  given  by 
Bryant,  who  says:  "Killed  in  Swope  Park  region  in  1863.  Many 
killed  on  Little  Blue  several  years  later. " 

It  is  reported  from  several  districts  in  south  Missouri,  espe- 
cially in  the  southeastern  part,  that  the  Wild  Turkeys  find  the 
cover  of  the  second-growth  timber  very  much  to  their  liking 
and  that  they  have  materially  increased  during  recent  years. 

Order  COLUMBAE.    Pigeons  and  Doves. 
Family  COLTJMBIDAE.    Pigeons  and  Doves. 

ECTOPISTES  MIGRATORIUS  (Linn.).     Passenger  Pigeon. 

Formerly  an  irregular  visitant  in  immense  flocks.    Now  extinct. 

Tremendous  hordes  of  Wild  Pigeons  formerly  visited  this  re- 
gion. Bush  says  that  in  the  autumn  of  1879  the  country  south- 
west of  Independence  was  visited  by  millions  of  them.  Bryant 
says:  "Passenger  Pigeons  here  in  1873  and  1874.  Killed  fifteen 
at  one  shot  in  September,  1873." 

ZENAIDURA  MACROURA  CAROLINENSIS   (Linn.).     Mourning  Dove. 
Very  common  summer  resident;  somewhat  rare  winter  resident. 

The  Mourning  Dove  is  found  everywhere  in  the  county,  ar- 
riving generally  from  the  first  week  to  the  last  week  in  March 
and  leaving  in  October  and  November.  Single  birds  and  flocks 
of  from  three  to  six  have  been  found  wintering  here  during  the 
last  five  winters. 

They  lay  their  two  eggs  early  in  May  and  raise  two  and  some- 
times three  broods.  A  nest  is  occasionally  found  containing 
three  or  four  eggs,  when  two  females  use  the  same  nest.  The 
nest  is  a  makeshift  affair  and  may  be  found  on  top  of  horizontal 
limbs,  low  down  or  high  up,  in  forks,  on  stumps,  in  vines,  and 
even  on  the  bare  ground. 

The  Dove  builds  its  nest  in  the  city  in  favorable  localities, 
such  as  the  Country  Club  and  Rockhill  regions,  Cliff  Drive, 
Swope  Park,  and  all  the  cemeteries. 


Harris — Birds  of  the  Kansas  City  Region.  259 

[ZENAIDUKA    MACROURA    MARGINELLA    (Woodhouse).      Western 

Mourning  Dove.] 
Recent  subspecies.    Probable  migrant  and  summer  resident. 

This  recently  separated  form  is  said  to  range  eastward  into 
the  Mississippi  Valley.  When  more  specimens  have  been  taken 
for  comparison,  it  will  without  doubt  be  found  to  occur  regu- 
larly in  migration  as  well  as  in  summer. 

Order  RAPTORES.     Birds  of  Prey. 

Suborder  Sarcorhamphi.    American  Vultures. 

Family  CATHARTIDAE.     American  Vultures. 

CATHARTES  AURA  SEPTENTRIONALIS  Wied.     Turkey  Vulture. 
Common  migrant  and  summer  resident. 

A  few  Turkey  Vultures  arrive  from  the  south  in  the  latter 
part  of  February,  but  more  often  in  the  first  half  of  March. 
They  leave  during  November  and  December,  though  a  few  may 
remain  into  the  first  week  in  January. 

The  Buzzard  nests  in  secluded  places  throughout  the  county, 
chiefly  in  the  cliffs  along  the  water  courses.  Fifteen  or  twenty 
pairs  (twenty-seven  birds  have  been  seen  circling  at  one  time) 
nest  regularly  in  the  rocky  ledges  in  and  about  Swope  Park 
and  have  a  common  roost  near  the  point  where  the  Hickman's 
Mills  Road  branches. 

They  begin  laying  from  the  middle  of  April  to  the  first  of 
May  and  build  no  nest.  The  two  beautifully  marked  eggs  are 
to  be  found  on  the  bare  ground  among  rocks,  in  stumps,  hollow 
trees  and  logs. 

Suborder    Falcones.      Vultures,    Falcons,    Hawks,    Buzzards. 
Eagles,  Kites,  Harriers,  etc. 

Family  BUTEONIDAE.    Hawks,  Eagles,  Kites,  etc. 

ELANOIDES  FORFICATUS  (Linn.).     Swallow-tailed  Kite. 
Occasional  summer  visitant;  rare  summer  resident. 

Recent  dates  for  the  Swallow-tailed  Kite,  given  by  Bush,  are 
as  follows :  In  the  summer  of  1912  two  pairs  nested  in  the  bot- 
toms near  Courtney ;  on  March  22,  1916,  one  was  seen  at  Court- 


260  Trans.  Acad.  Sci.  of  St.  Louis. 

ney;  on  July  8,  1916,  two  were  seen  at  Courtney,  remaining  in 
the  neighborhood  for  about  two  weeks. 

Tindall  took  a  specimen  near  Independence  on  July  16,  1904, 
and  another  on  September  1,  1906.  The  specimen  in  the  Library 
collection  was  loaned  by  0.  E.  Sheley,  who  killed  the  bird  near 
Independence. 

Bryant  states  that  a  pair  nested  just  southwest  of  Waldo 
several  years  ago,  but  does  not  furnish  the  date. 

Several  other  observers  have  seen  this  graceful  bird  in  the 
timbered  regions  of  the  Missouri  Valley  during  recent  years. 

ICTINIA  MISSISSIPPIENSIS  (Wilson).    Mississippi  Kite. 
Rare  migrant. 

The  Mississippi  Kite  has  been  reported  from  several  points 
in  Missouri  adjacent  to  this  district  on  the  north  and  east.  Sev- 
eral specimens  have  been  taken  near  Lawrence  (Bunker  and 
Wetmore,  September  13-16,  1907),  and  there  are  later  records, 
not  available,  of  its  occurrence  in  that  neighborhood.  This  kite 
probably  occurs  in  Jackson  County  during  migration  and  should 
be  looked  for  about  open  wooded  places  where  cicadas  are  plen- 
tiful, or  in  fields  and  meadows  where  grasshoppers  are  found. 

CIRCUS  HUDSONICUS  (Linn.).    Marsh  Hawk. 

Common  migrant  and  rare  winter  resident.     Formerly  a  rare  sum- 
mer resident. 

The  Marsh  Hawk  is  seen  ranging  over  the  prairie  regions  as 
well  as  in  the  Missouri  bottoms  and  swampy  and  marshy  places 
from  about  March  12th  to  about  April  25th  and  on  the  return 
from  September  15th  to  between  December  28th  and  January 
7th.  At  least  two  birds  remained  near  the  Country  Club  dis- 
trict during  the  entire  winter  of  1916-1917.  An  earlier  winter 
record  is  February  13,  1898. 

Though  a  common  summer  resident  not  far  to  the  north  and 
formerly  a  rare  breeder  in  this  vicinity,  it  has  not  been  found 
nesting  here  for  several  years. 

ACCIPITER  VELOX  (Wilson).    Sharp-shinned  Hawk. 
Uncommon  migrant  and  summer  resident. 

A  few  Sharp-shinned  Hawks  are  seen  during  each  migration 
about  wooded  places  and  along  streams,  but  they  are  never  com- 


Harris — Birds  of  the  Kansas  City  Region.  261 

mon.     There   are   only   a   few  summer  records   and  none   for 
winter. 

ACCIPITER  COOPERI  (Bonaparte).     Cooper's  Hawk. 

Common  migrant  and  summer  resident;  occasional  winter  resident. 

This  harmful  species  arrives  during  the  first  few  days  in 
March  and  is  present  until  late  October.  There  is  but  one  win- 
ter record  (January  20,  1917)  and  no  specimens  have  been 
taken  during  midwinter,  though  Bush  says  that  it  is  present 
throughout  the  entire  year. 

The  nest  is  found  in  timbered  places,  usually  in  a  fork  about 
thirty  feet  high,  and  a  full  clutch  is  four  or  five  eggs.  Four 
sets  in  the  Tindall  oological  collection,  two  of  four  and  two  of 
five  eggs,  were  taken  near  Independence  between  the  1st  and 
29th  of  May. 

This  hawk  may  be  looked  for  about  the  Swope  Park  region 
and  in  the  country  west  of  Dodson,  as  well  as  in  the  timbered 
bottoms  of  the  Missouri  River  country. 

ASTUR  ATRICAPILLUS  ATRICAPILLUS  (Wilson).     Goshawk. 
Very  rare  and  irregular  winter  visitant. 

At  infrequent  intervals  this  northern  hawk  is  known  to  in- 
vade this  part  of  the  country  during  the  late  fall  and  winter. 
The  winter  of  1916-1917  witnessed  such  an  invasion.  Over 
fifty  specimens  were  sent  in  to  the  University  Museum  at  Law- 
rence during  the  winter,  most  of  which  had  been  taken  in  the 
neighborhood.  One  was  killed  near  Dodson  and  another  seen 
on  December  5,  1916. 

Three  specimens  in  the  Dankers  collection  were  taken  Feb- 
ruary 17,  1902,  November  2,  1906,  and  December  1,  1906,  re- 
spectively. 

Goshawks  may  be  looked  for  here  only  during  the  most  se- 
vere winters. 

BUTEO  BOREALIS  BOREALis  (Gmelin).    Red-tailed  Hawk. 
Common  resident. 

Red-tailed  Hawks  are  present  in  numbers  throughout  the 
winter;  they  become  more  numerous  late  in  February  and  the 
bulk  of  the  migrants  are  here  around  the  12th  of  March.  By 
the  last  week  in  March  the  local  birds  are  nesting.  Sixteen 
sets  of  eggs  collected  by  Tindall  of  from  one  to  three  eggs  each 


262  Trans.  Acad.  Sci.  of  St.  Louis. 

were  taken  between  March  19th  and  April  12th.  The  nests  are 
usually  found  in  very  tall  trees  in  the  Missouri  bottom  lands 
and  less  frequently  in  timbered  places  elsewhere  in  the  county. 

The  bulk  of  the  returning  migrants  pass  through  during  the 
latter  part  of  October  and  early  November.  The  wintering 
birds  are  to  be  found  hunting  in  the  prairie  regions  as  well  as  in 
the  timbered  bottoms. 

This  hawk  is  a  great  destroyer  of  vermin  and  instead  of  be- 
ing shot  on  sight  by  farmers  and  sportsmen  should  be  protected 
and  encouraged  to  remain. 

BUTEO  BOREALIS  KRiDERi  Hoopes.     Krider's  Hawk. 
Occasional  visitant  during  migration. 

Krider's  Hawk  has  been  observed  a  few  times  on  the  prairie 
regions  south  of  the  Country  Club  district  near  open  timbered 
places.  On  October  15,  1916,  one  was  studied  at  close  range 
and  identification  was  made  certain. 

A  specimen  taken  by  Bankers  was  killed  October  16,  1898. 

This  light  phase  of  the  Red-tail  is  nowhere  common  but  this 
vicinity  is  a  favorable  locality  to  look  for  it  during  migration 
and  possibly  in  winter.  More  data  relative  to  its  local  occur- 
rence is  desired. 

BUTEO  BOREALIS  CALURUS  Cassin.    Western  Red-tail. 
Rare  winter  visitant. 

A  Western  Red-tail  was  closely  observed  in  the  Brush  Creek 
timber  just  inside  the  state  line  on  November  5,  1916.  Many 
Red-tails  suspected  of  belonging  to  this  dark  race  are  seen 
every  winter  but  only  one  specimen  has  been  taken  to  prove  its 
occurrence  in  the  vicinity — November  7,  1913. 

BUTEO  BOREALIS  HARLANI  (Audubon).    Harlan's  Hawk. 
Casual  visitant. 

A  specimen  of  this  southern  hawk,  taken  on  a  farm  about 
twelve  miles  from  Kansas  City,  was  mounted  by  Kreite,  a  local 
taxidermist,  in  1916.  The  specimen  was  not  personally  examined 
but  is  vouched  for  by  Mr.  J.  F.  Frazier,  whose  identification 
cannot  be  questioned. 

BUTEO  LINEATUS  LINEATUS   (Gmelin).     Red-shouldered  Hawk. 
Uncommon  migrant  and  summer  resident. 

Widmann  says  that  as  a  summer  resident  in  Missouri  this 


Harris — Birds  of  the  Kansas  City  Region.  263 

hawk  far  outnumbers  its  cousin  the  Red-tail,  but  this  is  not 
true  of  this  part  of  the  state  where  the  latter  greatly  pre- 
dominates. 

The  Red-shouldered  Hawk  is  present  during  the  entire  year 
but  is  never  common.  The  dates  of  occurrence  of  migrants 
are  about  the  same  as  those  of  the  Red-tail. 

A  favorite  resort  for  these  birds  is  the  wooded  bluff  regions 
along  the  Missouri  Valley. 

BUTEO  SWAINSONI  Bonaparte.    Swainson's  Hawk. 
Occasional  migrant. 

Swainson's  Hawk  but  rarely  straggles  into  the  county  and 
then  only  during  migration. 

Bankers  has  taken  two  specimens  during  recent  years.  A 
pair  have  been  found  nesting  about  thirty  miles  southwest  of 
this  county. 

We  have  very  little  additional  data  as  to  the  local  occurrence 
of  this  hawk. 

BUTEO  PLATYPTERUS  (Vieillot).    Broad-winged  Hawk. 
Rather  rare  summer  resident. 

The  earliest  record  of  the  arrival  of  the  Broad-winged  Hawk 
in  spring  is  April  8,  1914.  All  other  recorded  dates  are  near 
the  end  of  the  month.  It  usually  leaves  late  in  October. 

It  was  found  nesting  near  Independence  in  June,  1900  (Tin- 
dall).  A  nest  was  located  in  the  wooded  bend  of  the  Blue 
River  south  of  the  rifle  range  in  Swope  Park  in  May,  1917.  A 
pair  were  disturbed  while  perched  on  an  unfinished  nest  in  a 
tall  tree  in  the  timber  near  the  mouth  of  the  Blue  in  the 
spring  of  1914.  This  was  an  unusual  place  for  these  birds  as 
they  prefer  the  upland  woods  to  the  bottom  land. 

ARCHIBUTEO     LAGOPUS     SANCTI-JOHANNIS     (Gmelin).       Rough- 
legged  Hawk. 
Fairly  common  winter  visitant. 

The  Rough-leg  arrives  from  the  north  as  early  as  October 
28  (1916),  though  more  often  a  week  or  two  later.  It  is  not 
often  seen  after  March  12th  (an  exceptionally  late  date  is 
April  4,  1917). 

It  may  be  looked  for  during  winter,  in  any  place  in  the 


264  Trans.  Acad.  Sci.  of  St.  Louis. 

county  where  there  is  suitable  cover  for  small  rodents,  as  it  is 
a  persistent  hunter  of  such  game.  It  is  commonly  seen  in  the 
Missouri  bottom  lands  as  well  as  on  the  prairie  country. 

Many  intergrades  between  the  different  color  phases  have 
been  noted. 

[ARCHIBUTEO  FERRUGINEUS  (Lichtenstein) .   Ferruginous  Rough- 

leg.] 
Probable  winter  visitant. 

This  hawk  is  thought  to  occur  irregularly  in  winter  on  the 
prairie  country  along  the  western  border  of  the  county  but  not 
sufficient  data  have  been  obtained  to  establish  the  fact  definitely. 
The  few  field  identifications  have  been  unsatisfactory  and  no 
specimen  has  been  taken. 

AQUILA  CHRYSAETOS  (Linn.).    Golden  Eagle. 
Very  rare  winter  visitant. 

Seven  specimens  of  the  Golden  Eagle  are  known  to  have  been 
taken  during  recent  years  in  this  vicinity.  It  is  probable  that 
many  more  have  been  taken.  It  was  formerly  more  common 
and  only  during  the  past  few  years  has  become  a  rarity. 

HALIAEETUS    LEUCOCEPHALUS    LEUCOCEPHALUS    (Linn.).      Bald 

Eagle. 

Rare  winter  visitant.    Formerly  a  very  common  winter  resident  and 
rare  summer  resident. 

The  older  river  shooters  well  remember  the  days  when  the 
Bald  Eagles  were  here  in  fall  and  winter  in  great  numbers 
along  the  river.  In  those  days  the  sand-bars  and  low  banks 
were  fringed  with  red  offal  from  the  packing  houses  and  Bald 
Eagles  came  in  droves  to  the  feast.  Not  until  the  packers  be- 
gan utilizing  all  their  waste  did  these  big  birds  disappear  as 
regular  winter  visitants  in  numbers. 

They  formerly  nested  in  the  tall  trees  in  the  deep  wooded 
bottoms  along  the  Missouri  River.  One  early  account  even 
speaks  of  a  nest  on  a  farm  on  the  old  Lexington  Road  (Swope 
farm,  Bryant). 

They  are  still  occasionally  seen  soaring  above  but  must  now 
be  classed  among  the  rare  species. 


Harris — Birds  of  the  Kansas  City  Region.  265 

Family  FALCONIDAE.     Falcons,   Caracaras,  etc. 
Subfamily  Falconinae.    Falcons. 

FALCO  MEXICANUS  Schlegel.    Prairie  Falcon. 

Accidental  visitant. 

The  only  record  of  the  local  occurrence  of  this  falcon  is  the 
specimen  taken  by  Bryant  in  1887.  It  may  occasionally  strag- 
gle into  the  county  during  its  migratory  wanderings  but  there 
is  no  further  positive  evidence  of  this. 

FALCO  PEREGRINUS  ANATUM  Bonaparte.    Duck  Hawk. 

Uncommon  migrant. 

-in 

This  pirate  among  birds  was  a  former  summer  resident  in 
this  vicinity  and  is  known  to  have  nested  along  the  river  bluffs. 

It  has  not  been  often  observed  of  late  years,  the  only  avail- 
able dates  being  March  29,  1904,  May  3,  1908  (specimen),  Sep- 
tember 18,  1914. 

FALCO  COLUMBARIUS  COLUMBARIUS  Linn.     Pigeon  Hawk. 
Uncommon  migrant. 

There  are  but  ten  available  authentic  records  of  the  local  oc- 
currence of  this  falcon;  not  enough  to  show  the  migration  ex- 
tremes. 

It  may  be  looked  for  about  timbered  and  open  country  dur- 
ing April  and  October.  It  is  of  only  casual  occurrence  and  does 
not  winter  here. 

[FALCO     COLUMBARIUS     RICHARDSONI    Ridgway.       Richardson's 

Pigeon   Hawk.] 
Probably  a  rare  migrant. 

Though  no  specimens  have  been  taken,  this  subspecies  is  no 
doubt  of  local  occurrence  during  migration  as  it  has  been  re- 
ported several  times  from  surrounding  territory.  It  is  not 
easily  distinguishable  in  the  field  from  the  Pigeon  Hawk  and 
specimens  will  have  to  be  taken  to  establish  its  presence  here. 

FALCO  SPARVERIUS  SPARVERIUS  Linn. 

CERCHNEIS  SPARVERIA  SPARVERIA  (Linn.).    Proposed  April  1917. 

Sparrow  Hawk. 
Very  common  resident. 

This  is  our  commonest  and  most  beautiful  hawk  and  is  found 


266  Trans.  Acad.  Sci.  of  St.  Louis. 

throughout  the  year,  though  more  numerous  during  the  breed- 
ing season.  It  nests  freely  within  the  city,  even  occasionally  in 
the  business  district  (Hall  Bldg.  1916),  where  it  may  also  be 
seen  in  winter  feeding  on  the  bountiful  supply  of  English  Spar- 
rows. It  will  nest  in  any  kind  of  a  cavity  and  should  be  en- 
couraged to  remain  by  the  placing  of  properly  constructed  nest- 
ing boxes. 

The  Sparrow  Hawk  has  been  proven  to  be  a  decidedly  bene- 
ficial species,  as  it  destroys  large  quantities  of  noxious  insects 
and  English  Sparrows. 

Family  PANDIONIDAE.    Ospreys. 

PANDION  HALIAETUS  CAROLINENSIS  (Gmelin).     Osprey. 
Not  uncommon  migrant;  former  summer  resident. 

The  Pish  Hawk  is  seen  regularly  during  April  and  early  May 
and  in  September  and  October.  It  may  be  looked  for  on  the 
Missouri  River  or  about  large  ponds  and  lakes.  Three  were 
seen  over  the  Lake  of  the  Woods  on  September  12,  1914,  and 
single  birds  have  been  frequently  observed  there. 

The  last  pair  known  to  have  nested  in  the  county  was  re- 
ported by  Bryant  in  1884.  This  pair  had  their  nest  on  the 
rocks  on  a  high  point  of  the  bluffs  north  of  Independence. 

The  Osprey  is  said  to  breed  in  the  bottom  timber  a  few  coun- 
ties to  the  north. 

Suborder  Striges.    Owls. 
Family  ALUCONIDAE.    Barn  Owls. 

ALUCO  PRATINCOLA  (Bonaparte). 

TYTO    ALBA    PRATINCOLA    Hartert.      Proposed    October,    1916. 

Barn  Owl. 
Uncommon  resident. 

Specimens  of  the  Barn  Owl  taken  in  this  vicinity  during 
May,  June  and  July  show  that  the  bird  must  breed  here,  and 
there  is  one  locally  taken  set  of  eggs  known.  Bush  and  Tindall 
state  that  it  breeds  in  the  neighborhood  of  Courtney  and  Inde- 
pendence. 

It  may  be  looked  for  about  open  farming  country  as  well  as 


Harris — Birds  of  the  Kansas  City  Region.  267 

in   orchards   and   open   timbered  places.     It  builds  in  hollow 
trees,  barns,  belfreys  and  similar  places. 

Family  STRIGIDAE.     Horned  Owls,  etc. 

Asio  WILSONIANUS  (Lesson).    Long  eared  Owl. 

Uncommon  summer  resident;  common  migrant  and  winter  resident. 

The  Long-eared  Owl  occurs  chiefly  in  the  timbered  bottoms, 
both  in  winter  and  during  the  breeding  season.  Small  flocks 
have  often  been  seen  there  in  late  autumn  and  winter;  Bush 
reports  one  flock  of  sixty  birds  wintering  near  Courtney.  A 
flock  of  about  thirty  are  found  nearly  every  winter  in  the  large 
stand  of  cottonwood  timber  across  from  the  mouth  of  the  Big 
Blue. 

Long-eared  Owls  begin  laying  their  five  or  six  eggs  early  in 
March  and  often  refit  and  reline  with  feathers  for  their  own 
use,  old  nests  of  crows  and  squirrels. 

Asio  FLAMMEUS  (Pontoppidan) .     Short-eared  Owl. 

Fairly  common  migrant;  irregular  winter  resident;  very  rare  sum- 
mer resident. 

The  Short-eared  Owl  arrives  from  the  north  in  early  or  mid- 
dle October  and  leaves  in  March.  During  open  winters  when 
the  snowfall  is  light,  flocks  of  from  8  to  10  to  50  or  more  may 
be  found  wintering  where  suitable  grassy  or  weedy  roosting 
places  are  near  good  hunting  ground.  Such  places  are  com- 
mon on  the  high  prairie  regions  where  this  owl's  favorite  game 
abounds,  though  the  open  stretches  of  grassy  bottom  lands  af- 
ford equally  good  wintering  resorts.  A  flock  of  15  or  20  birds 
spent  the  winter  of  1916-17  in  the  neighborhood  of  63rd  Street 
west  of  Broadway,  where  they  roosted  in  a  patch  of  weeds  and 
high  grass  within  a  hundred  yards  of  several  houses  under  con- 
struction on  one  side,  and  a  noisy  foot-ball  field  on  the  other. 
When  flushed  from  their  roosting  ground  in  the  high  grass, 
they  sail  around  gracefully  like  gulls  and  perch  about  on  fence 
posts  or  drop  down  further  on  in  the  grass  and  sometimes  even 
on  the  bare  ground  in  plain  sight.  During  these  flights  they 
emit  a  low  plaintive  cry  reminiscent  of  the  Green  Heron's  note 
though  much  less  harsh.  Several  of  the  stomach  pellets  col- 
lected on  this  roost  were  sent  to  the  mammalogists  of  the  Na- 
tional Museum  to  determine  the  species  of  rodent  that  consti- 


268  Trans.  Acad.  Sci.  of  St.  Louis. 

tutes  the  chief  diet  of  the  awl.  The  skulls  contained  in  the  pel- 
lets belonged  to  the  species  Microties  ochrogaster  (Wagner). 

During  the  late  fall  of  1917,  a  large  scattered  flock  of  these 
owls  were  seen  in  the  open  bottom  country  near  the  mouth  of 
Big  Blue,  where  they  remained  until  well  into  December.  Many 
hundred  acres  of  newly  formed  land  overgrown  with  typical 
sand-bar  and  lowland  vegetation,  bordered  with  thickets  of 
young  willows,  afforded  ideal  roosting  places.  An  unusual  fea- 
ture of  their  stay  at  this  time  was  their  feeding  on  the  Tree 
Sparrows  that  frequented  the  willow  thickets  in  droves.  Nearly 
every  pellet  opened  contained  skull,  sternum  or  other  token  of 
these  small  birds.  Here  is  an  indictment  against  this  owl  not 
corroborated  in  the  books.  The  fact  of  their  resorting  to  this 
unusual  diet,  as  well  as  their  moving  further  south  before  the 
arrival  of  very  severe  weather  conditions,  may  be  accounted  for 
by  the  absence  of  their  favorite  rodent  prey  on  this  new 
ground. 

The  only  breeding  pair  so  far  discovered  in  this  vicinity  was 
reported  by  Smithson  of  Warrensburg  during  the  summer  of 
1903. 

STRIX  VARIA  VARIA  Barton.     Barred  Owl. 
Common  resident. 

The  Barred  Owl  is  a  denizen  of  the  woods  about  the  city 
where  it  nests  in  cavities  of  large  trees  and  where  it  is  present 
during  the  entire  year.  The  wooded  bottom  lands  are  favorite 
haunts  and  even  such  places  as  Fairmount  Park,  Mount  Wash- 
ington, Swope  Park  and  other  wooded  tracts  close  in,  have  har- 
bored nesting  pairs  of  these  big  owls. 

CRYPTOGLAUX  ACADICA  ACADICA    (Gmelin).    Saw-whet  Owl. 
Very  rare  winter  visitant. 

Only  one  specimen  of  this  small  owl  has  so  far  been  reported. 
One  was  found  dead  on  Summit  Street  in  1894  by  Bryant. 

OTUS  ASIO  ASIO  (Linn.). 

OTUS  ASIO  NAEVIUS  Gmelin.     Proposed  April,   1917.     Screech 

Owl. 
Very  common  resident. 

The  Screech  Owl  is  a  common  bird  within  the  city,  nesting  in 
early  March  about  the  boulevards  and  parks,  wherever  suit- 


Harris — Birds  of  the  Kansas  City  Region.  269 

able  cavities  are  to  be  found.  A  pair  nested  for  fifteen  years 
at  Armour  Boulevard  and  Campbell,  another  at  Valentine  Road 
and  Broadway,  and  others  have  been  regularly  seen  or  heard 
in  many  other  neighborhoods. 

They  have  been  observed  lurking  about  street  lights  in  search 
of  large  insects  or  possibly  toads.  They  are  known  to  prey  on 
mice  and  English  Sparrows  and  should  be  carefully  protected. 

It  is  doubtful  if  this  owl  is  as  common  about  the  city  as  for- 
merly, since  it  is  frequently  killed  or  driven  away  under  the  im- 
pression that  it  is  a  destroyer  of  song  birds.  One  instance  is 
known  of  six  (two  adults  and  four  grown  young)  being  killed 
in  one  evening. 

An  examination  of  dozens  of  specimens  taken  in  this  vicinity 
leads  to  the  belief  that  the  gray  color  phase  predominates  here. 

BUBO  VIRGINIANUS  viRGiNiANUS   (Gmelin).     Great  Horned  Owl. 
Fairly  common  resident. 

The  eight  or  ten  specimens  of  this  big  owl  in  the  Swope  Park 
Zoo  are  said  to  have  been  captured  within  the  boundaries  of 
the  park. 

Great  Horned  Owls  have  been  found  nesting  several  times 
in  the  timber  along  the  Blue  and  in  the  Missouri  bottoms.  Old 
hawk's  nests  are  sometimes  refitted  and  used,  but  more  often 
the  eggs  are  laid  in  natural  cavities  in  trees.  The  birds  begin 
laying  late  in  January  or  early  in  February. 

[BUBO  VIRGINIANUS  PALLESCENS  Stone.     Western  Horned  Owl.] 
Probably  a  casual  resident. 

The  presence  of  this  subspecies  will  no  doubt  in  time  be  es- 
tablished here  as  it  is  known  to  range  much  further  east.  No 
specimen  has  yet  been  taken  in  this  vicinity. 

NYCTEA  NYCTEA  (Linn.).    Snowy  Owl. 
Very  rare  winter  visitant. 

This  far  northern  species  has  been  seen  here  but  three  times. 
It  ranges  thus  far  south  only  during  the  coldest  winters.  A 
specimen  taken  by  Jno.  Bryant  many  years  ago  has  been  de- 
stroyed. There  are  three  specimens  in  the  Bankers  collection. 

SPEOTYTO  CUNICULARIA  HYPOGAEA  (Bonaparte).  Burrowing  Owl. 
Accidental  visitant. 

The  only  specimen  of  this  plains  bird  known  to  have  been 


270  Trans.  Acad.  Sci.  of  St.  Louis. 

taken  in  the  State  of  Missouri  was  killed  by  Chas.  Bankers  on 
April  19,  1902,  at  Corning  in  Holt  County. 

It  may  occur  occasionally  on  the  prairie  regions  along  the 
western  border  of  this  county,  since  it  has  been  reported  not 
far  to  the  west. 

Order  PSITTACL     Parrots,  Macaws,  Paroquets,  etc. 
Family  PSITTACIDAE.    Parrots,  Macaws  and  Paroquets. 

CONUROPSIS  CAROLINENSIS  (Linn.). 

CONUROPSIS    CAROLINENSIS    LUDOViciANA    ( Grmelin ) .      Proposed 

April,  1917.     Carolina  Paroquet. 
Formerly  'an  abundant  resident;  now  extinct. 

Narratives  of  early  travel  up  the  Missouri  River  make  fre- 
quent mention  of  the  abundance  in  this  locality  of  this  beauti- 
ful but  noisy  bird.  The  bottom  lands  were  its  favorite  haunt, 
since  its  natural  food,  the  cockle-bur,  grew,  and  still  grows, 
there  in  great  profusion.  It  ranged  in  flocks  over  the  surround- 
ing country  and  was  a  familiar  color  note  in  the  landscape. 

It  is  authoratively  stated  to  have  nested  in  hollow  trees  in 
the  dense  forests  of  the  Missouri  River  flood-plains  during  the 
times  of  its  abundance  here. 

There  is  a  specimen  in  the  Public  Library  taken  by  Bryant 
in  1894.  This  was  no  doubt  a  straggler  as  Widmann  states 
that  the  flocks  of  Paroquets  seem  to  have  faded  from  Missouri 
with  the  fifties. 

In  some  unaccountable  manner  a  lone  bird  strayed  into  the 
Courtney  bottoms  in  1912  and  was  observed  by  Bush  for  sev- 
eral weeks  before  it  finally  disappeared. 

Order  COCCYGES.     Cuckoos,  etc. 

Suborder  Cuculi.    Cuckoos. 

Family  CUCULIDAE.     Cuckoos,  Anis,  etc. 

Subfamily  Coccyzinae.    American  Cuckoos. 

COCCYZUS    AMERICANUS    AMERiCANus     (Linn.).      Yellow-billed 

Cuckoo. 
Common  summer  resident. 

The  first  day  of  May  usually  sees  the  first  Cuckoo  here  from 


Harris— Birds  of  the  Kansas  City  Region.  271 

the  south.  Between  the  15th  and  23rd  of  September  the  last 
southward  bound  birds  have  generally  left,  though  an  individ- 
ual bird  lingers  now  and  then  into  October.  Some  exception- 
ally late  dates  are  October  19,  1893,  October  2,  1915,  and  Oc- 
tober 22,  1916. 

The  nest  is  a  very  flimsy  affair  indeed  as  the  eggs  are  often 
visible  from  beneath  through  the  loosely  constructed  platform 
of  coarse  twigs.  Three  or  four  and  rarely  five  greenish  eggs 
are  laid  sometimes  during  June. 

There  are  many  particulars  regarding  the  life  history  of  this 
peculiar  bird  that  are  worthy  of  attention ;  such  as  their  appar- 
ent occasional  parasitism,  the  simultaneous  bursting  of  all  the 
feather  sheaths  of  the  nestlings,  the  peculiar  and  unique  mating 
behavior  and  their  habit  of  feeding  on  certain  irritating  insect 
larvae  that  but  few,  if  any,  other  birds  will  eat. 

COCCYZUS  ERYTHROPHTHALMUS  (Wilson).     Black-billed  Cuckoo. 
Uncommon  migrant  and  rare  summer  resident. 

The  arrival  and  departure  of  this  cuckoo  as  well  as  its  nest- 
ing habits,  behavior  and  other  points  of  life .  history  are  the 
same  as  those  of  the  Yellow-billed,  though  it  is  far  less  fre- 
quently seen. 

A  close  observer  may  readily  distinguish  it  in  the  field  from 
the  Yellow-billed.  It  should  be  looked  for  during  the  breeding 
season  as  but  scant  local  nesting  data  has  been  secured. 

There  are  but  three  or  four  known  sets  of  eggs  in  local  col- 
lections that  have  been  taken  in  this  vicinity. 

Suborder  Alcyones.    Kingfishers. 
Family  ALCEDINIDAE.     Kingfishers. 

CERYLE  ALCYON  (Linn.).     Belted  Kingfisher. 
Common  summer  resident  and  rare  winter  resident. 

A  few  Kingfishers  are  found  on  the  streams  in  late  February 
but  they  do  not  become  numerous  until  a  week  or  two  later. 
Only  a  few  remain  as  late  as  the  last  half  of  November.  Dur- 
ing open  winters  an  occasional  bird  has  been  known  to  remain 
all  winter  near  some  favorite  fishing  hole.  During  the  rather 
severe  winter  of  1916-1917,  when  the  smaller  streams  were  at 
times  frozen  solid,  at  least  two  birds  were  known  to  have  spent 


272  Trans.  Acad.  Sci.  of  St.  Louis. 

the  entire  winter  near  Independence,  one  on  Mill  Creek  and 
one  on  the  Little  Blue. 

The  Kingfisher  is  a  familiar  bird  along  the  entire  length  of 
the  Blue  River  and  excavates  its  nesting  burrows  in  the  high 
banks  in  and  near  Swope  Park.  It  is  not  often  found  on  the 
Missouri  itself,  perhaps  because  the  minnows  on  which  it  feeds 
are  hatched  and  spend  their  early  life  in  the  tributaries. 

Order  PICI.    Woodpeckers,  etc. 
Family  PICIDAE.    Woodpeckers. 

CAMPEPHILUS  PRINCIPALS   (Linn.).     Ivory-billed  Woodpecker. 

Former  resident;  now  extinct. 

This  shy  forest  bird  has  long  ago  disappeared  from  this 
locality  as  well  as  from  the  entire  state. 

Its  haunts  were  in  the  deep  woods  of  the  Missouri  bottoms. 
The  species  is  listed  as  a  former  resident  on  the  authority  of 
Judge  Guinotte  and  others. 

DRYOBATES  VILLOSUS  VILLOSUS  (Linn.).    Hairy  Woodpecker. 
Fairly  common  resident. 

The  Hairy  Woodpecker  seems  to  be  more  numerous  in  winter 
than  in  summer.  It  is  perhaps  a  little  wilder  than  the  following 
species  and  is  not  so  often  seen  in  the  city.  It  is  also  more  dis- 
criminating in  its  selection  of  a  nesting  site,  choosing  a  less  ac- 
cessible place. 

It  is  present  throughout  the  year  and  may  be  looked  for  in 
any  wooded  territory.  The  eggs  are  laid  late  in  April  or  May. 

DRYOBATES  PUBESCENS  MEDIANUS    (Swainson).     Downy  Wood- 
pecker. 
Common  resident. 

The  Downy  is  perhaps  our  commonest  woodpecker  and  is 
found  everywhere  about  trees  during  the  entire  year. 

It  is  a  very  confiding  bird  during  severe  winter  weather  and 
will  readily  come  about  the  house  for  any  scraps  of  meat  or 
suet  that  may  be  offered.  It  is  also  a  frequenter  of  weedy 
patches  during  winter  and  loves  to  rattle  among  the  dead  stalks 
looking  for  insect  larvae  and  eggs.  It  is  also  a  great  hunter  in 
orchards  and  is  one  of  the  most  beneficial  of  our  common  birds. 


Harris — Birds  of  the  Kansas  City  Region.  273 

It  should  be  protected  at  all  times  and  fed  during  the  most 
severe  periods  of  winter. 

The  five  or  six  pure  white  eggs  are  laid  in  April  or  May  in  a 
cavity  in  some  dead  limb  or  post.  It  is  a  very  pugnacious  little 
defender  of  its  home. 

SPHYRAPICUS    VARIUS    VARIUS     (Linn.).      Yellow-bellied     Sap- 
sucker. 
Not  uncommon  migrant  and  rare  winter  visitant. 

Migration  waves  of  Sapsuckers,  when  the  birds  are  to  be  seen 
everywhere  for  a  day  or  two  in  spring,  have  been  very  infre- 
quently observed  here.  It  is  better  known  as  a  straggler  be- 
tween November  and  late  April. 

It  is  to  be  looked  for  about  any  kind  of  wooded  places  and  in 
orchards.  Single  birds  have  been  occasionally  found  at  any 
time  during  the  winter. 

PHLOEOTOMUS  PILEATUS  ALBIETICOLA  (Bangs).  Northern  Pileated 

Woodpecker. 
Occasional  visitant.    Former  resident. 

This  once  common  woodpecker  is  still  occasionally  found  in 
the  deep  woods  of  the  Missouri  bottoms.  It  persisted  as  a  reg- 
ular breeder  there  up  until  the  late  eighties  or  early  nineties. 

Some  more  recent  dates  are:  April  30,  1897,  November  1, 
1915  (Tindall),  and  March  22,  1916  (Bush).  Smithson  found 
a  nest  with  five  young  near  Warrensburg  on  June  15,  1905,  and 
observed  a  male  bird  in  the  same  neighborhood  on  March  2, 
1908. 

A  few  specimens  have  been  brought  into  the  city  market  dur- 
ing recent  years  by  farmers  who  invariably  shoot  this  magnifi- 
cent bird  on  sight. 

MELANERPES    ERYTHROCEPHALUS    (Linn.).      Red-headed    Wood- 
pecker. 
Very  common  summer  resident;  occasional  winter  resident. 

The  returning  Red-heads  arrive  during  the  last  few  days  of 
April  and  the  bulk  of  the  southbound  migrants  are  gone  by  the 
last  of  September.  A  few  are  always  about  during  October. 
November  and  less  often  in  December,  while  an  occasional  single 


274  Trans.  Acad.  Sci.  of  St.  Louis. 

bird  or  small  troop  may  brave  the  rigors  of  January  and  Feb- 
ruary. A  flock  of  six  wintered  in  the  timber  near  Dodson  dur- 
1913-1914.  Three  birds  were  observed  all  during  the  winter  of 
1915-1916  in  the  neighorbhood  of  Kentucky  Avenue  and  Inde- 
pendence Road.  A  lone  bird  was  observed  on  Brush  Creek  near 
Electric  Park  in  December,  1916,  and  again  about  the  middle 
of  January,  1917.  The  presence  in  winter  of  this  bird  seems  to 
depend  largely  on  the  crop  of  shingle  oak  acorns  (Quercus 
imbricaria  Michx.). 

The  removal  by  the  Park  Board  of  all  standing  dead  trees 
and  the  partial  doing  away  with  telephone  poles  has  caused 
this  desirable  bird  to  become  less  common  within  the  city  than 
formerly. 

CENTURUS  CAROLINUS  (Linn.).     Red-bellied  Woodpecker. 
Fairly  common  resident. 

The  Red-bellied,  unlike  several  of  the  other  woodpeckers,  does 
not  venture  far  into  the  city  but  prefers  the  more  densely 
wooded  outlying  country.  It  is  to  be  found  most  commonly  in 
the  timber  along  the  bluffs  and  in  the  bottom  lands.  It  is  also 
found  in  Swope  Park  and  along  the  upper  Blue. 

This  bird  is  rather  shy  and  is  more  often  heard  than  seen. 
Its  croaking  note  is  very  similar  to  that  of  the  Red-head. 

Three  or  four  eggs  are  laid  in  April  or  early  May. 

COLAPTES  AURATUS  LUTEUS  Bangs.    Northern  Flicker. 
Very  common  resident,  aJbundant  in  migration. 

This  ground-feeding  woodpecker  is  one  of  the  most  familiar 
birds  of  the  city  lawns.  It  is  not  uncommon  in  winter  but  by 
the  first  few  days  of  April  the  migrants  are  here  in  great 
abundance.  The  southward  movement  is  noticeable  all  through 
September. 

Flickers  begin  laying  early  in  May,  a  full  clutch  being  six  or 
seven  eggs.  They  nest  freely  in  the  proper  kind  of  nest  boxes. 

COLAPTES  CAFER  COLLARIS  Vigors.    Red-shafted  Flicker. 
Rare  visitant  during  migration  or  in  winter. 

This  locality  lies  just  outside  or  possibly  on  the  extreme  edge 
of  this  bird's  range.  The  known  instances  of  its  occurrence 


Harris — Birds  of  the  Kansas  City  Region.  275 

here  seem  to  be  of  enough  interest  and  importance  to  warrant 
giving  them  in  detail.    They  are : 

1872.  Bryant.     One  specimen  taken. 
Dec.    29,  1889.  Bush.     A  flock  seen,  one  specimen  taken. 
Dec.    12,  1893.  Tindall. 
Nov.    10,  1899.  Tindall. 
Sept.  20,  1902.  Tindall. 
Oct.     25,  1902.  Tindall.     A    small    flock    seen    and    one 

specimen  taken. 

Jan.      4,  1914.  Harris.     One  seen. 
Nov.      5,  1915.  Tindall.      Flock    of    six    seen    and    one 

specimen  taken. 

Nov.      7.  1915.  Hoffmann.     One  seen. 
Nov.    13,  1915.  Bush.     Flock  of  five  seen  and  one  speci- 
men taken. 

Jan.    10,  1916.  Bush.    A  small  flock  seen. 
Apr.    16,  1916.  Hoffmann.     One  bird  seen. 
Students  should  be  on  the  lookout  for  this  striking  bird. 

Order  MACROCHIRES.     Goatsuckers,  Swifts,  etc. 

Suborder  Caprimulgi.    Goatsuckers,  etc. 

Family  CAPRIMULGIDAE.     Goatsuckers,  etc. 

ANTROSTOMUS  CAROLINENSIS   (Gmelin).     Chuck-will  's-widow. 
Accidental  visitant. 

On  May  3,  1918,  at  about  dusk,  a  Chuck- will 's-widow  flew 
into  the  yard  of  Prof.  A.  E.  Shirling,  near  Swope  Park,  and 
sang  several  times.  The  bird  was  not  over  fifteen  feet  from 
the  professor,  who  distinctly  saw  it  and  noted  its  size  as  it  flew 
off.  This  is  the  first  and  only  known  instance  of  the  local  oc- 
currence of  this  bird.  Its  normal  range  in  western  Missouri 
does  not  extend  much  further  north  than  from  eighty  to  one 
hundred  miles  to  the  south  of  Jackson  County. 

ANTROSTOMUS  VOCIPERUS  (Wilson). 

SETOCHALCIS   VOCIFERA    VOCIFERA    (Wilson).      Proposed    April, 

1917.    Whip-poor-will. 
Common  summer  resident. 

The  Whip-poor-will  arrives  from  the  15th  to  19th  of  April 
and  leaves  in  October.  It  lays  its  two  beautifully  marked  eggs 


276  Trans.  Acad.  Sci.  of  St.  Louis. 

on  the  bare  ground  in  dense  growths  of  scrub  oak  or  in  second 
growth  timber  on  burnt  over  hillsides.  Three  sets  in  the  Tin- 
dall  collection  were  taken  on  the  following  dates:  May  7,  1901, 
May  20,  1903,  June  12,  1915. 

It  is  numerous  about  Swope  Park  and  Dodson  and  along  the 
river  bluffs. 

PHALAENOPTILUS  NUTTALLI  NUTTALLI  (Audubon).    Poor-will. 
Formerly  a  rare  summer  resident. 

Bush  reports  that  the  Poor-will  formerly  nested  on  the  open 
country  near  Swope  Park  and  Dodson.  He  frequently  heard  the 
mournful  cry  of  this  bird  in  the  neighborhood  of  Grandview. 
Efforts  to  find  the  Poor-will  in  this  county  during  the  summers 
of  1916  and  1917  proved  unsuccessful,  though  it  may  yet  be 
found  still  occasionally  breeding  on  the  prairie  regions  of  south- 
ern Jackson  County. 

CHORDEILES  VIRGINIANUS  VIRGINIANUS  (Gmelin).    Nighthawk. 
Abundant  migrant  and  fairly  common  summer  resident. 

The  first  Nighthawks  arrive  usually  on  the  26th,  27th  or 
28th  of  April  followed  by  great  numbers  of  migrants  during 
the  next  three  or  four  weeks.  The  southward  moving  flocks 
pass  through  during  September  and  early  October. 

'  Like  other  members  of  this  family  the  Nighthawk  builds  no 
nest  but  lays  its  two  eggs  on  the  bare  ground  or  rocks  or  on  the 
fiat  roofs  of  the  tall  buildings  in  the  business  district  of  the 
city.  As  a  breeder  it  is  found  chiefly  along  the  northern  bound- 
ary of  the  county  but  ranges  out  over  the  prairie  country  to 
feed.  It  is  probable  that  it  may  nest  along  the  rocky  ledges  in 
the  Swope  Park  district. 

CHORDEILES  VIRGINIANUS  HENRYI  Cassin.     Western  Nighthawk. 
Regular  but  not  numerous  migrant. 

Resting  flocks  of  migrating  Nighthawks  have  often  been  seen 
to  contain  birds  of  varying  degrees  of  pallidity.  Some  of  the 
individuals  are  only  slightly  lighter  in  color  than  the  native 
birds  while  others  are  so  very  decidedly  lighter  that  they  can 
be  distinguished  as  far  as  the  flock  is  visible.  There  is  very 
little  doubt  that  these  forms  are  the  Western  and  Sennett  sub- 
species but  it  would  be  well  to  take  specimens. 


Harris — Birds  of  the  Kansas  City  Region.  277 

All  three  of  these  Nighthawks  have  been  observed  in  Swope 
Park. 

CHORDEILES    VIRGINIANUS    SENNETTI    Coues.      Sennett's    Night- 
hawk. 
Regular  but  not  numerous  migrant. 

See  the  remarks  on  the  Western  Nighthawk. 

Suborder  Cypseli.    Swifts. 

Family  MICROPODIDAE.     Swifts. 

Subfamily  Chaeturinae.     Spine-tailed  Swifts. 

CHAETURA  PELAGICA  (Linn.).    Chimney  Swift. 
Very  common  summer  resident. 

The  forerunners  of  the  hosts  of  migrating  Chimney  Swifts 
arrive  between  the  llth  and  18th  of  April.  Some  exceptionally 
early  dates  are:  April  8,  1900,  March  20,  1903,  March  30, 
1913,  and  March  15,  1913. 

The  southward  moving  flocks  pass  from  late  in  August  to 
early  October.  During  this  period  the  Swifts  resort  to  common 
roosts  and  may  be  seen  circling  in  immense  funnel-shaped 
flocks  over  large  chimneys  and  about  towers,  such  as  several  of 
the  public  school  buildings,  the  Calvary  Baptist  Church  and  the 
old  power-house  stack  at  8th  Street  and  Woodland. 

Suborder  Trochili.    Hummingbirds. 
Family  TROCHILIDAE.     Hummingbirds. 

ARCHILOCHUS    COLUBRIS     (Linn.).      Ruby- throated    Humming- 
bird. 
Common  summer  resident. 

The  early  Hummingbirds  arrive  around  April  27th,  but  are 
not  found  in  numbers  until  a  week  or  more  later.  They  leave  in 
October. 

The  nest,  a  soft,  delicate,  cottony  cup,  decorated  with  lichens, 
is  one  of  the  wonders  of  avian  architecture  and  is  usually  sad- 
dled on  a  small  horizontal  limb  ten  to  fifty  feet  from  the  ground. 
It  is  often  found  in  orchards. 


278  Trans.  Acad.  Sci.  of  St.  Louis. 

Order  PASSERES.    Perching  Birds. 

Suborder  Clamatores.     Songless  Perching  Birds. 

Family  TYRANNIDAE.     Tyrant  Flycatchers. 

TYBANNUS  TYRANNUS  (Linn.).     Kingbird. 

Common  summer  resident. 

The  first  Kingbirds  arrive  between  the  18th  and  26th  of  April, 
followed  during  the  next  ten  days  by  swarms  of  migrants.  The 
return  flight  is  noticeable  as  early  as  the  29th  of  August  and 
continues  for  about  three  weeks. 

This  flycatcher  is  fairly  common  within  the  city  and  is  a 
familiar  bird  everywhere  in  the  surrounding  country. 

A  favorite  roosting  place  for  great  numbers  during  the  period 
of  flocking  that  precedes  migration  is  in  the  miles  of  willow 
bottoms  along  the  Missouri  River  below  the  Milwaukee  Bridge. 

TYRANNUS  VERTICALIS  Say.    Arkansas  Kingbird. 
Occasional  visitant  during  migration  and  summer. 

An  unusual  visitation  of  Arkansas  Kingbirds  occurred  on 
the  Bankers'  farm  in  Holt  County  during  the  late  summer  of 
1917  when  nine  specimens  were  recorded.  Prior  to  this  time 
there  were  but  two  known  records  for  this  region:  May  31, 
1899,  and  May  9,  1913,  both  specimens  being  taken  by  Dankers. 
There  are  but  three  other  known  records  for  the  entire  state  of 
Missouri. 

MYIARCHUS  CRINITUS  (Linn.).     Crested  Flycatcher. 
Very  common  summer  resident. 

The  Crested  Flycatcher  arrives  from  the  23rd  to  28th  of 
April  (in  the  following  years  it  arrived  promptly  on  the  27th  of 
April:  1899,  1900,  1901,  1904,  1916  and  1917).  An  excep- 
tionally early  date  for  this  bird  was  April  15,  1915.  (See  table 
of  arrival  dates  given  under  the  Phoebe).  It  leaves  for  the 
south  during  the  first  week  or  ten  days  in  September. 

This  noisy  bird  comes  freely  into  the  city  to  nest  in  cavities 
in  trees  or  in  bird  boxes.  It  has  a  very  sharp  eye  for  cast  snake 
skins  which  it  usually  includes  in  the  nesting  material.  In  the 
city  bits  of  thin  or  greasy  paper  or  onion  skins  are  substituted. 

The  eggs,  laid  in  June,  are  four  to  seven  in  number  and  beau- 
tifully marked  with  streaks  and  wavy  lines. 

It  may  be  looked  for  in  all  wooded  parts  of  the  county. 


Harris — Birds  of  the  Kansas  City  Region.  279 

SAYORNIS  PHOEBE  (Latham).     Phoebe. 
Common  summer  resident. 

The  Phoebe  arrives  during  the  first  half  of  March,  though 
exceptionally  severe  weather  may  delay  the  vanguard  for  a 
week  or  more.  The  following  arrival  dates  will  show  the  ir- 
regularity of  its  arrival  contrasted  with  the  regularity  of  the 
foregoing  species. 

Sayornis  phoebe.  Myiarchus  crinitus. 
March     3,  1893. 
March  11,  1894. 

March  23,  1895.  April  28,  1895. 

March  29,  1896.  April  25,  1896. 

March  15,  1897.  April  25,  1897. 

March  13,  1898.  April  30,  1898. 

March  14,  1899.  April  27,  1899. 

March  11,  1900.  April  27,  1900. 

March  12,  1901.  April  27,  1901. 

March  11,  1902.  April  24,  1902. 

March     8,  1903.  April  22,  1903. 

March  26,  1904.  April  27,  1904. 
March  15,  1907. 
March     7,.  1908. 
March  21,  1909. 
March  13,  1910. 

March  18,  1911.  May      3,  1911. 

March  30,  1912.  May      1,  1912. 

March  30,  1913.'  May      3,  1913. 

March  13,  1914.  April  23,  1914. 

March     8,  1915.  April  15,  1915. 

March  12,  1916.  April  27,  1916. 

March  14,  1917.  April  27,  1917. 

The  last  southbound  Phoebes  are  seen  about  the  middle  of 
October.  The  cry  of  this  bird  is  a  familiar  note  about  culverts, 
bridges,  mossy  ledges  near  streams,  and  farm  outbuildings.  It 
does  not  venture  far  into  the  city  but  is  common  in  the  surround- 
ing country. 

Its  five  or  six  eggs  are  laid  during  the  latter  part  of  April, . 
usually  from  the  19th  to  27th.  A  very  early  date  was  April  7, 
1908  (five  eggs). 


280  Trans.  Acad.  Sci.  of  St.  Louis. 

NUTTALLORNIS  BOREALis  (Swainson).     Olive-sided  Flycatcher. 

Rather  rare  migrant. 

A  few  migrating  Olive-sided  Flycatchers  are  present  during 
late  May  and  early  June  and  again  in  early  September.  It  is 
more  often  heard  than  seen  and  is  to  be  looked  for  in  the  tops  of 
tall,  often  dead,  trees  along  water  courses.  It  may  be  readily 
identified  by  its  loud,  wild  and  distinctive  whistle. 

MYIOCHANES  VIRENS  (Linn.).    Wood  Pewee. 
Rather  uncommon  summer  resident. 

The  Wood  Pewee  arrives  early  in  May  and  leaves  in  late  Sep- 
tember. It  is  a  woods-loving  bird,  and  is  found  within  the  city 
only  in  the  more  secluded  and  heavily  wooded  sections,  such  as 
Swope  Park. 

The  nest  is  a  very  beautiful  structure  composed  of  fine  ma- 
terials such  as  lint  and  cottony  substances.  It  is  saddled  onto  a 
limb,  usually  a  dead  one,  after  the  fashion  of  a  Hummingbird's 
or  Gnatcatcher  's  nest.  The  Wood  Pewee  begins  laying  about  the 
first  of  June. 

EMPIDONAX  FLAVIVENTRIS  (W.  M.  &  S.  F.  Baird).    Yellow-bellied 

Flycatcher. 
Rather  rare  migrant. 

The  Yellow-belly  may  not  be  as  rare  during  migration  as  the 
few  records  seem  to  show,  since  it  is  a  difficult  bird  to  find.  It 
frequents  dense  undergrowths  and  thickly  grown-up  bottom  and 
bluff  regions  and  is  usually  silent.  It  is  present  during  the  last 
half  of  May  and  early  June  (six  records).  There  are  no  autumn 
records  for  this  county,  but  a  specimen  was  taken  about  thirty 
miles  to  the  west  on  September  15,  1908,  by  Bunker  (Kansas 
University  Museum). 

EMPIDONAX  VIRESCENS  (Vieillot).    Acadian  Flycatcher. 
Somewhat  common  summer  resident. 

The  Acadian  or  Green  Crested  Flycatcher  arrives  during  the 
first  few  days  of  May  and  is  present  until  the  middle  of  Sep- 
tember. 

It  is  never  found  outside  of  thickly  wooded  places.  Its  favor- 
ite haunts  are  the  wooded  ravines  of  the  bluff  regions  and  wher- 
ever creeks  flow  through  timber.  Two  or  three  pairs  nest  regu- 
larly in  Shilo  Hollow,  near  Swope  Park,  and  several  are  always 
to  be  found  during  summer  in  Hazel  Dell,  a  secluded  creek  bot- 


Harris — Birds  of  the  Kansas  City  Region.  281 

torn  above  the  Lake  of  the  Woods.  There  are  probably  many 
such  places  in  the  central  and  eastern  parts  of  the  county  where 
this  and  other  shade-loving  species  are  to  be  found. 

The  eggs  are  laid  from  the  last  few  days  in  May  to  the  middle 
of  June. 

Besides  the  song  (wick-y-up)  and  the  sharp  call  note,  the  bird 
often  utters  a  humming  or  murmuring  note  which  seems  to  be 
known  to  but  few  observers. 

EMPIDONAX  TRAILLI  TRAILLI  (Audubon).     Traill's  Flycatcher. 
Fairly  common  migrant  and  rare  summer  resident. 

The  Traill  's  Flycatcher  arrives  early  in  May  and  leaves  during 
September.  Its  favorite  haunts  are  in  creek  or  river  timber, 
though  it  is  found  also  in  the  parks  and  about  the  outskirts  of 
the  city  in  orchards  and  wooded  tracts.  Thickets  and  open 
woods  also  attract  it,  and  a  few  are  always  to  be  found  in  late 
May  about  the  extensively  planted  estates  in  the  neighborhood 
of  52nd  and  Oak.  The  best  time  to  observe  this  flycatcher  is 
during  the  last  two  weeks  of  May  when  the  bulk  of  the  north- 
bound migrants  are  present. 

There  are  no  records  available  of  the  Traill 's  Flycatcher  breed- 
ing in  Jackson  County,  but,  judging  from  its  distribution  as  a 
summer  resident  in  Missouri,  it  probably  will  be  found  nesting 
in  thickets  about  sloughs  and  along  river  courses  in  this  vicinity. 

EMPIDONAX  TRAILLI  ALNORUM  Brewster.    Alder  Flycatcher. 
Rare  migrant. 

This  subspecies  has  not  yet  been  satisfactorily  worked  out  for 
this  county  owing  to  lack  of  material,  only  one  specimen  having 
been  taken.  It  has  been  taken  in  enough  numbers  both  to  the 
east  and  west  to  warrant  the  belief  that  there  can  be  little  doubt 
as  to  its  regular  occurrence  here.  The  difference  between  the 
two  forms  is  one  of  size  only  and  a  series  of  local  specimens  will 
have  to  be  studied  before  much  is  known. 

EMPIDONAX  MINIMUS  (W.  H.  &  S.  F.  Baird).    Least  Flycatcher. 
Common  migrant  and  very  rare  summer  resident. 

The  Least  Flycatcher  arrives  from  April  30th  to  May  6th 
and  leaves  during  September. 

The  only  authentic  record  of  the  Chebec  having  nested  in  the 
State  of  Missouri  is  furnished  by  Tindall,  who  took  a  set  of 


282  Trans.  Acad.  Sci.  of  St.  Louis. 

three  eggs  in  this  county  on  June  16,  1891.  This  same  collec- 
tor has  taken  specimens  of  the  bird  here  during  the  nesting 
season,  but  only  this  one  nest  has  been  found. 


Suborder  Oscines.    Song  Birds. 
Family  ALAUDIDAE.    Larks. 

OTOCORIS  ALPESTRIS  ALPESTRIS  (Linn.).    Horned  Lark. 
Regular  but  not  numerous  winter  visitant. 

A  few  flocks  of  Horned  Larks  visit  this  vicinity  during  win- 
ter, scattering  over  the  prairie  regions  and  the  sandy  bottom 
lands.  They  are  usually  in  the  company  of  praticola  and  may 
be  distinguished  by  their  larger  size  and  darker  color.  A  few 
specimens  have  been  taken  in  this  vicinity. 

OTOCORIS  ALPESTRIS  PRATICOLA  Henshaw.    Prairie  Horned  Lark. 
Common  resident  and  very  common  migrant. 

The  Prairie  Horned  Lark  is  found  throughout  the  year,  either 
in  the  open  country  of  the  bottom  lands  or  more  numerously 
in  the  prairie  regions.  It  is  the  commonest  bird  in  the  early 
wheat  fields.  Its  song  may  be  heard  on  mild  days  in  January. 
It  is  an  early  breeder,  the  eggs  having  been  found  as  early  as 
March  20th,  and  the  nest  is  often  covered  with  snow. 

[OTOCORIS  ALPESTRIS  HOYTI  Bishop.    Hoyt's  Horned  Lark.] 
Probable  winter  visitant. 

This  large  pallid  form  has  not  yet  been  taken  in  the  county, 
but  may  occasionally  occur  here  during  winter.  Students  should 
be  on  the  lookout  for  it. 

Family  CORVIDAE.     Crows,  Jays,  Magpies,  etc. 
Subfamily  Garrulinae.    Magpies  and  Jays. 

PICA  PICA  HUDSONIA  (Sabine).    Magpie. 
Formerly  a  very  rare  winter  visitant. 

There  is  a  specimen  of  this  bird  in  the  collection  of  Dr.  Gun- 
nington  of  Tarkio,  Missouri,  taken  in  the  Missouri  River  bottoms 
of  Holt  County  late  in  the  fall  of  1913.  One  specimen  has  been 
taken  near  Lawrence  (Snow).  Four  birds  were  observed  in 
Saline  'County  (two  counties  to  the  east,  on  the  river)  by  L.  W. 
C order  (Widmann). 


Harris— Birds  of  the  Kansas  City  Region.  283 

The  Magpie  has  become  rare  of  late  years  in  its  habitat  in  the 
northwest,  but  an  occasional  straggler  may  still  find  its  way  down 
the  Missouri  Valley  during  severe  winters. 

CYANOCITTA  CRISTATA  CRISTATA  (Linn.).    Blue  Jay. 

Very  common  summer  resident;  not  uncommon  winter  resident. 

Flocks  of  migrating  Jays  move  through  this  district  on  their 
northward  flight  from  the  15th  of  April  to  the  5th  of  May  and 
on  the  southward  journey  during  the  first  half  of  October.  A 
route  much  used  by  these  migrants  is  along  the  Missouri  bluffs 
and  lowlands. 

During  some  winters  Jays  are  to  be  found  in  numbers,  even 
in  the  city,  but  during  others  are  very  scarce.  During  the  rather 
severe  winter  of  1916-1917,  few  Jays  were  to  be  found  anywhere 
but  in  Sowpe  Park. 

Jays  nest  early  in  May  and  more  than  one  brood  is  raised. 

Subfamily  Corvinae.     Crows. 

CORVUS  CORAX  SINUATUS  Wagler.    Eaven. 
Former  resident. 

In  the  late  seventies  the  Raven  nested  in  the  rocky  bluffs  over- 
looking the  Missouri  River  in  this  county.  It  was  formerly  com- 
mon, but  has  become  extinct  in  this  part  of  the  country/  A  few 
are  still  said  to  breed  in  this  state  in  the  Ozarks. 

CORVUS   BRACHYRHYNCHOS   BRACHYRHYNCHOS   Brehm.       CrOW. 
Common  resident  and  abundant  migrant. 

Crows  are  to  be  found  everywhere  in  the  county,  but  are  most 
abundant  in  the  Missouri  Valley,  where  they  occur  in  the  great- 
est numbers  in  winter.  There  is  always  a  large  winter  roost 
somewhere  in  the  vicinity  of  the  Big  Eddy  or  the  mouth  of  Sugar 
Creek  or  the  Blue  River,  usually  on  the  Clay  County  side.  Great 
numbers  nest  in  April  in  the  bottom  timber  as  well  as  in  Swope 
Park  and  other  heavily  wooded  places  over  the  entire  county. 

NUCIFRAGA  COLUMBIAN  A  (Wilson).     Clarke's  Nutcracker. 
Accidental  visitant. 

On  October  28,  1894,  a  specimen  of  this  bird  was  taken  near 
the  city  by  Bryant.  The  bird  was  far  off  its  range  and  is  to  be 


284  Trans.  Acad.  Sci.  of  St.  Louis. 

considered  as  purely  an  accidental  visitant.    There  are  but  three 
or  four  other  records  for  surrounding  states. 

Family  ICTERIDAE.    Blackbirds,  Orioles,  etc. 

DOLICHONYX  ORYZIVORUS  (Linn.).    Bobolink. 
Rather  rare  migrant. 

Bobolinks  are  occasionally  present  in  small  flocks  during  the 
first  half  of  May  and  again  during  September.  They  some- 
times occur  on  the  prairie  regions,  but  more  commonly  in  the 
Missouri  Valley.  They  are  sometimes  heard  migrating  at  night 
when  they  may  be  readily  distinguished  by  their  characteristic 
"pink."  They  are  usually  in  song  on  the  northward  flight, 
but  on  the  return  are  silent  save  for  the  "pink,  pink." 

MOLOTHRUS  ATER  ATER  (Boddaert).    Cowbird. 

Very  common  summer  resident;  occasional  winter  resident. 

Though  an  occasional  Cowbird  is  seen  during  the  winter 
months,  usually  in  the  company  of  blackbirds,  the  earliest  mi- 
grants do  not  arrive  until  the  first  or  second  week  in  March 
and  the  bulk  of  the  flight  not  until  a  week  or  two  later.  The 
autumn  migration  is  at  its  height  during  late  September  and 
early  October. 

The  Cowbird  is  generally  distributed  over  the  entire  county 
and  is  fairly  common  within  the  city.  Whenever  the  eggs  of 
this  parasitic  species  are  found  in  the  nests  of  more  desirable 
song  birds  they  should  be  destroyed,  as  the  young  are  a  menace 
to  the  young  of  the  host  species. 

XANTHOCEPHALUS     XANTHOCEPHALUS     (Bonaparte).       Yellow- 
headed  Blackbird. 
Not  very  common  migrant  and  rare  summer  resident. 

The  Yellow-headed  Blackbird  arrives  during  the  second  week 
of  April  and  is  rarely  seen  after  October.  It  is  to  be  found  on 
the  prairie  regions  during  migration,  but  occurs  in  greater  num- 
bers in  the  Missouri  bottom  lands  and  on  the  farming  country 
near  the  bluffs.  It  is  probably  not  as  common  as  formerly,  and 
does  not  breed  as  freely  in  this  county.  It  nests  in  colonies 
about  the  river  lakes  in  several  of  the  up-river  counties,  as  at 
Bean  Lake  and  at  Armour. 


Harris — Birds  of  the  Kansas  City  Region. 


285 


AGELAIUS  PHOENICEUS  PHOENICEUS  (Linn.). 

AGELAIUS  PHOENICEUS  PREDATORIUS  (Wilson).     Proposed  April, 

1917. 

Common  summer  resident;  very  abundant  migrant;  irregular,  some- 
times not  uncommon  winter  resident. 


DISTRIBUTION  OF  A.  P.  PREDATORIUS 


Continuous  line  encloses  breeding  range. 
Broken  line  shows  extent  of  winter  range. 

Immense  hordes  of  Red-wings  migrate  up  and  down  the  low- 
lands bordering  the  Missouri  River.  Flocks  numbering  untold 
thousands  are  present  during  spring  and  autumn,  and  occasional 
birds  are  found  among  the  wintering  throngs  of  Thick-bills  and 
Northern  Red-wings.  The  earliest  flocks,  composed  almost  en- 
tirely of  males,  begin  to  arrive  during  the  first  few  days  of 
March  while  the  wintering  birds  are  still  present  in  some  num- 
bers. In  favorable  winters  this  northward  movement  may  start 
as  early  as  the  middle  of  February.  Not  until  the  first  of  May 
have  the  last  flocks  of  late  females  passed,  leaving  only  the 
breeding  birds  present.  These  summer  residents  may  be  looked 
for  in  the  bottom  lands  or  on  the  uplands  about  swampy  places, 
or  where  there  are  reeds,  rushes,  high  grass  or  cat-tails  near 
water.  They  start  nesting  about  the  middle  of  May.  Flocking 
begins  as  early  as  the  middle  of  July  when  the  birds  begin  to 


286 


Trans.  Acad.  Sci.  of  St.  Louis. 


use  common  roosts  in  the  bottoms,  scattering  over  the  entire 
county  at  early  dawn  to  feed.  The  southward  movement  com- 
mences early  in  October  and  continues  until  well  into  December. 

AGELAIUS  PHOENICEUS  FORTIS  Ridgway.     Thick-billed  Red-wing. 
Irregular,  sometimes  very  abundant,  migrant  and  winter  resident. 

DISTRIBUTION  OF  A.  P.  FORTIS 


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Continuous  line  encloses  breeding  range. 
Broken  line  shows  extent  of  winter  range. 

The  Red-wings  wintering  in  this  vicinity  were  long  suspected 
of  belonging  to  this  very  noticeably  larger  subspecies,  but  prior 
to  the  winter  of  1916-1917  no  systematic  investigation  had  ever 
been  made  in  western  Missouri  to  establish  their  subspecific  status. 
This  rather  severe  winter  proved  to  be  a  favorable  one  for  this 
study,  as  the  birds  were  present  in  unusual  abundance.  A  large 
series  of  specimens  was  taken  over  a  wide  area  and  covering  the 
entire  period  of  their  sojourn. 

They  began  arriving  in  small  numbers  during  the  middle  of 
November  and  continued  coming  in  increasing  numbers  until 
during  the  intense  cold  periods  of  late  December  and  January 
there  were  countless  thousands  resorting  to  common  roosts  in 
the  timbered  bottoms  along  the  Missouri  River.  In  the  early 
mornings  when  the  birds  scattered  to  feed,  great  flocks  flew  over 


Harris — Birds  of  the  Kansas  City  Region.  287 

the  city  to  their  feeding  grounds  on  the  prairie  regions  many 
miles  to  the  south  and  west.  It  is  estimated  that  some  of  the 
flocks  covered  daily  from  thirty  to  fifty  miles  on  these  journeys. 

As  early  as  the  middle  of  February  much  singing  and  mating 
activity  was  noted  among  the  flocks  and  the  ranks  were  begin- 
ning to  thin.  On  March  2nd  the  last  specimens  of  fortis  were 
taken  (from  large  masses  of  birds),  and  by  March  5th  this  form 
had  been  almost  entirely  replaced  by  equally  large  flocks  of 
predatorius.  Several  specimens  taken  on  this  date  from  large 
flocks  proved  to  be  referable  to  the  breeding  form.  A  difference 
was  also  noted  in  the  music  of  the  flocks,  as  the  notes  of  fortis 
are  softer,  more  melodious  and  less  grating  than  those  of  pred- 
atorius. 

These  northwestern  birds  do  not  seem  to  have  passed  down 
the  Missouri  Valley  (east)  beyond  this  point,  as  only  an  occa- 
sional bird  was  seen  in  the  nearby  down-river  counties. 

The  stomachs  of  ten  males  and  one  female  taken  from  one 
flock  on  January  17th  contained  large  quantities  of  the  seeds  of 
sorghum  (Sorghum  sp.)  and  knotweed  (Polygonum  lapathifo- 
lium  L.). 

Very  few  Northern  Red-wings  (A.  p.  arctolegus)  were  pres- 
ent during  this  hard  winter,  though  during  the  equally  severe 
winter  of  1917-1918  this  form  greatly  predominated. 

AGELAIUS  PHOENICEUS  ARCTOLEGUS  Oberholser.     Northern  Red- 
wing. 

Abundant  migrant;   irregular,  sometimes  very  common  winter  resi- 
dent. 

Large  moving  masses  of  this  recently  described  subspecies  are 
not  readily  distinguishable  in  the  field  from  the  Thick-bill,  and 
may  even  be  mistaken  for  the  breeding  form  unless  seen  at  close 
range  or  in  mixed  flocks.  Not  enough  material  has  yet  been 
secured  to  give  with  certainty  the  dates  of  its  arrival  from  the 
north  in  the  fall  or  the  limits  in  time  of  its  passage  through  here 
on  the  return  in  spring.  Great  hordes  pass  during  both  seasons 
and  varying  numbers  are  present  during  the  entire  winter.  All 
three  forms  intermingle  here  in  winter,  as,  on  at  least  one  occa- 
sion, specimens  of  all  three  have  been  taken  from  the  same 
flock. 


288 


Trans.  Acad.  Sci.  of  St.  Louis. 


The  accompanying  map  shows  that  this  region  lies  fairly  in 
the  center  of  the  migratory  path  of  this  race,  and  on  the  edge 
of  its  winter  range. 

DISTRIBUTION  OF  A.  P.  ARCTOLEGUS 


Continuous  line  encloses  breeding  range. 
Broken  line  indicates  extent  of  winter  range. 

STURNELLA  MAGNA  MAGNA  (Linn.).    Meadowlark. 

Common  summer  resident  and  very  common  migrant;   rather  rare 
winter  resident. 

Small  troops  of  returning  migrants  begin  to  arrive  from  the 
25th  to  the  last  of  February,  but  are  not  numerous  until  about 
the  middle  of  March.  The  southbound  migration  wave  passes 
in  October.  Only  a  few  birds,  sometimes  none,  are  to  be  found 
here  in  winter. 

The  Meadowlark  is  generally  distributed  over  the  entire 
county  and  breeds  everywhere  in  favorable  open  grassy  places, 
even  coming  into  the  outskirts  of  the  city  to  nest.  It  begins 
laying  early  in  May. 

STURNELLA  NEGLECTA  Audubon.     Western  Meadowlark. 
Regular  but  uncommon  summer  resident. 

Typical  examples  of  the  Western  Meadowlark  are  found  here 
and  there  on  the  prairie  regions  of  the  county.  Several  pairs 
nest  regularly  in  the  Country  Club  district  and  about  Waldo. 


Harris — Birds  of  the  Kansas  City  Region.  289 

Breeding  birds  have  been  seen  near  Dodson,  Grandview  and 
further  west  and  south.  They  formerly  nested  in  the  neighbor- 
hood of  Swope  Park,  but  none  have  visited  that  district  in  sev- 
eral years  with  the  exception  of  one  pair  that  raised  a  brood 
near  41st  and  Benton  Boulevard  during  the  summer  of  1917. 

Occasionally  Meadowlark  songs  are  heard  that  are  interme- 
diate between  the  two  forms. 

ICTERUS  SPURIUS  (Linn.).     Orchard  Oriole. 
Common  summer  resident. 

The  first  Orchard  Orioles  may  be  looked  for  between  the  25th 
and  30th  of  April.  They  seldom  fail  to  arrive  some  time  during 
these  five  days.  The  only  two  known  earlier  dates  are  April  22, 
1897  (Tindall),  and  April  19,  1909  (Smithson). 

'Great  numbers  of  migrants  are  often  seen  resting  in  the  wil- 
low thickets  in  the  Missouri  bottoms  during  the  first  eight  or 
ten  days  of  May.  They  start  south  late  in  August  and  after 
about  ten  days  only  stragglers  are  seen. 

The  Orchard  Oriole  may  be  found  in  all  parts  of  the  county 
and  nests  freely  within  the  city  in  favorable  districts.  Its  four 
to  six  eggs  are  laid  in  late  May  or  early  June. 

ICTERUS  GALBULA  (Linn.).     Baltimore  Oriole. 
Common  summer  resident. 

The  Baltimore  Oriole  usually  arrives  a  few  days  earlier  than 
the  Orchard  Oriole  and  is  perhaps  more  numerous  in  the  city, 
at  least.  Its  wonderful  nest  is  suspended  from  the  overhanging 
extremities  of  the  limbs  of  shade  trees,  preferably  elms,  in  all 
residence  districts. 

It  is  about  equally  common  in  the  outlying  country  and  often 
builds  there  in  sycamore  and  cottonwood  trees.  The  four  or 
five  eggs  are  laid  in  May. 

During  the  period  of  moult  in  late  July  and  early  August 
the  Orioles  are  silent  and  secretive  and  are  seldom  seen.  Prior 
to  their  departure  for  the  south  they  have  another  period  of 
song. 

EUPHAGUS  CAROLINUS  (Muller).    Rusty  Blackbird. 
Not  uncommon  migrant;  rare  winter  resident. 

The  first  Rusty  Blackbirds  arrive  on  their  journey  to  the 
northern  breeding  grounds  sometimes  as  early  as  the  third  week 


290  Trans.  Acad.  Sci.  of  St.  Louis. 

in  February,  but  more  often  during  the  second  or  third  week 
in  March.  A  flock  numbering  over  two  thousand  birds  was 
seen  on  February  21,  1916.  By  April  15th  only  stragglers  are 
seen.  The  southward  flight  passes  through  in  October,  tapering 
off  into  November.  A  few  birds  may  be  found  here  during  mild 
and  open  winters. 

EUPHAGUS  CYANOCEPHALTJS   (Wagler).     Brewer's  Blackbird. 
Rare  migrant. 

Three  sight  records  of  this  bird  constitute  the  only  known  evi- 
dence of  its  occurrence  here.  Since  the  Brewer's  Blackbird  may 
be  easily  mistaken  in  the  field  for  the  Bronzed  Grackle,  it  may 
often  go  unnoticed  in  flocks  of  the  latter.  It  has  been  observed  on 
the  prairie  regions  of  Jackson  County  once,  and  in  the  bottoms 
twice,  but  no  specimens  have  been  taken.  It  is  very  desirable 
to  obtain  more  data  relative  to  this  species,  as  well  as  more  sat- 
isfactory proof  of  its  local  occurrence.  Its  migration  through 
this  region  is  probably  coincident  with  that  of  the  Rusty  Black- 
bird. 

QUISCALUS  QUISCULA  AENEUS  Ridgway.    Bronzed  Grackle. 
Common  summer  resident. 

A  few  hardy  and  impatient  Grackles  sometimes  arrive  late  in 
February,  but  it  is  usually  mid-March  before  many  are  present. 
The  bulk  of  the  flight  arrives  still  later,  during  late  March  and 
the  first  week  in  April.  The  return  migration  occupies  October 
and  early  November  and  a  few  may  be  present  until  well  into 
December. 

Grackles  are  very  common  within  the  city,  where  their  habit 
of  occupying  common  roosts  in  shade  trees,  usually  over  side- 
walks, makes  them  a  great  nuisance.  These  roosts  are  not  easily 
broken  up  and  many  residents  of  the  south  side  of  the  city  have 
had  trying  experiences  in  ridding  their  neighborhoods  of  this 
pest.  The  most  effectual  method  is  to  shoot  Roman-candles  into 
the  trees  after  the  birds  have  settled  for  the  night. 

Family  FRINGILLIDAE.    Finches,  Sparrows,  etc. 

HESPERIPHONA  VESPERTINA  VESPERTINA   (W.  Cooper).     Evening 

Grosbeak. 
Very  rare  and  irregular  winter  visitant. 

Only  during  occasional  winters  is  this  district  invaded  by 


Harris — Birds  of  the  Kansas  City  Region.  291 

Evening  Grosbeaks.  The  last  visitation  occurred  in  1911,  when 
several  flocks  of  from  two  to  twenty-five  were  seen  at  widely 
separated  points  in  this  vicinity.  The  first  were  noted  on  Janu- 
ary 23rd,  after  which  they  were  present  until  the  6th  of  May. 
None  have  been  seen  since  that  year. 

CARPODACUS  PURPUREUS  PURPUREUS   (Gmelin).     Purple  Finch. 
Rather  common  migrant;  not  uncommon  winter  resident. 

Flocks  of  migrating  Purple  Finches  are  likely  to  be  seen  any 
time  between  February  and  late  April  and  again  during  Octo- 
ber and  November.  Small  groups  of  wintering  birds  have  been 
seen  in  December  and  January  in  all  parts  of  the  county,  nota- 
bly in  such  places  as  Swope  Park,  the  Country  Club  district, 
the  upper  Blue  Valley  and  along  the  Missouri  bluff  regions. 

LOXIA  CURVIROSTRA  MINOR  (Brehm).     Crossbill. 

Rather  irregular  but  sometimes  not  uncommon  winter  resident. 

Only  an  occasional  winter  passes  without  at  least  a  few  Cross- 
bills being  seen.  During  rare  winters  thousands  (Bush)  are 
present  and  are  to  be  found  wherever  there  are  suitable  feeding 
places.  They  are  attracted  by  sunflower  patches,  orchards  where 
fruit  has  been  left  hanging,  pine  trees  and  weed  patches.  They 
have  also  been  seen  tearing  to  pieces  the  fruit  of  the  Osage 
orange.  Crossbills  may  be  looked  for  between  late  October  and 
early  May. 

LOXIA  LEUCOPTERA  Gmelin.     White-winged  Crossbill. 
Very  rare  winter  visitant. 

There  is  only  one  authentic  record  of  the  occurrence  of  this 
Crossbill  in  this  vicinity,  though  it  probably  occurs  occasionally 
in  the  company  of  the  other  species. 

Students  should  be  on  the  lookout  for  this  bird,  as  we  are  well 
within  its  winter  range. 

ACANTHIS  LIN  ARIA  LINARIA  (Linn.).     Eedpoll. 
Very  rare  winter  visitant. 

Only  three  records  are  known  of  the  occurrence  of  the  Red- 
poll here;  February  21,  1882;  January  14,  1906,  and  February 
13,  1916. 


292  Trans.  Acad.  Sci.  of  St.  Louis. 

ASTRAGALINUS  TRiSTis  TRiSTis  (Linn.).     Goldfinch. 

Very  common  summer  resident;  not  uncommon  winter  resident. 

The  Wild  Canary  or  Thistle  Bird  is  most  abundant  here  dur- 
ing migration,  from  the  last  week  in  April  to  the  middle  of  May 
and  during  October.  They  are  always  present  in  winter  in 
varying  abundance  and  are  generally  distributed  over  the  en- 
tire county. 

They  nest  rather  late,  as  is  shown  by  the  following  data  from 
the  Tindall  collection : — August  21,  1891,  four  eggs;  August 
21,  1891,  six  eggs;  June  30,  1895,  three  eggs;  September  7, 
1902,  five  eggs. 

The  male  Goldfinch  presents  a  good  example  of  the  plumage 
change  in  birds  whose  summer  and  winter  coats  are  entirely 
different.  Individuals  may  be  seen  during  different  seasons  of 
the  year  in  all  phases  of  their  changing  color. 

SPINUS  PINUS  (Wilson).    Pine  Siskin. 
Not  uncommon  migrant  and  winter  visitant. 

A  large  per  cent  of  the  flocks  of  wintering  Goldfinches  have 
Siskins  scattered  among  them.  They  are  easily  distinguished 
by  their  notes  and  by  the  streaked  plumage. 

Flocks  of  migrating  Siskins  numbering  hundreds  have  been 
seen  between  the  middle  of  March  (March  11,  1907)  and  the 
last  of  April,  and  from  the  last  week  of  October  to  middle  or 
late  November. 

The  presence  of  this  bird  in  winter  is  often  overlooked  and 
every  group  of  Goldfinches  and  wintering  Sparrows  should  be 
closely  scrutinized  to  find  it. 

PASSER  DOMESTICUS  (Linn.). 

PASSER  HOSTILIS  Kleinschmidt.     Proposed  October,  1916.     Eng- 
lish Sparrow. 
Very  abundant  resident. 

This  alien  species  has  established  itself  not  only  about  the 
centers  of  civilization  but  has  overflowed  into  the  surrounding 
wild  places  and  has  proven  itself  equally  successful  in  leading 
a  feral  existence.  It  is  found  in  the  wildest  and  most  inacces- 
sible tangles  of  the  Missouri  bottom  jungles,  and  nests  in  vines 
in  the  timber  along  the  water  courses  and  in  deserted  wood- 
pecker holes  as  well  as  natural  cavities.  Under  favorable  con- 


Harris — Birds  of  the  Kansas  City  Region.  293 

ditions  as  many  as  four  broods  are  brought  forth  in  a  single 
year. 

It  is  probably  a  fact  that  the  balance  of  nature  will  be  ad- 
justed in  time  by  this  sparrow  at  the  expense  of  our  more  de- 
sirable native  forms,  though  this  may  be  partially  compensated 
for  by  an  increase  in  the  smaller  predatory  birds,  but  as  far  as 
the  writer  has  been  able  to  observe  no  appreciable  harm  has 
as  yet  been  done — at  least  in  this  vicinity. 

Mr.  Widmann  writes  that  the  zenith  of  this  bird's  abundance 
has  been  reached  in  St.  Louis  several  years  ago,  and  is  of  the 
opinion  that  the  late  severe  winters  and  lack  of  suitable  nest- 
ing sites  may  have  caused  this  standstill  or  decrease.  This  con- 
dition has  also  been  noted  in  Kansas  City,  though  coincident 
with  the  decrease  within  the  city  there  has  been  a  most  decided 
increase  in  the  surrounding  rural  districts. 

PLECTROPHENAX  NTVALIS  NIVALIS  (Linn.).    Snow  Bunting. 
Very  rare  and  irregular  winter  visitant. 

This  wanderer  from  the  north  reaches  this  vicinity  only  dur- 
ing the  most  severe  winters.  On  January  29,  1889,  a  flock  of 
several  dozen  of  these  beautiful  birds  was  observed  at  Courtney 
by  Bush.  There  is  a  specimen  in  the  Tindall  collection  taken 
near  Independence  on  November  8,  1892. 

CALCARIUS  LAPPONICUS  LAPPONICUS  (Linn.).    Lapland  Longspur. 
Regular  and  not  uncommon  winter  resident,  sometimes  very  common. 

Lapland  Longspurs  are  to  be  looked  for  on  the  prairie  re- 
gions of  the  county  between1  the  first  week  in  November  (Novem- 
ber 5,  1913,  earliest)  and  the  middle  of  March  (March  18,  1917, 
latest). 

Small  flocks  are  commonly  met  with  between  the  Country 
Club  and  the  upper  Blue  Valley,  but  very  seldom  visit  the  Mis- 
souri Valley. 

During  some  winters,  flocks  of  hundreds  are  present,  and  dur- 
ing migration  thousands  are  heard  passing  over  at  night. 

CALCARIUS  PICTUS  (Swainson).     Smith's  Longspur. 
Very  rare  and  irregular  winter  visitant. 

The  one  local  record  for  this  bird  is  May  1,  1905,  when  three 
specimens  were  taken.  It  is  reported  as  a  common  winter  so- 


294  Trans.  Acad.  Sci.  of  St.  Louis. 

journer  in  Kansas,  is  a  regular  migrant  in  Illinois  and  winters 
regularly  in  Arkansas.  It  therefore  should  be  looked  for  in 
this  vicinity. 

CALCARIUS    ORNATUS     (J.    K.     Townsend).      Chestnut-collared 

Longspur. 
Rather  rare  winter  visitant. 

This  bird  has  been  noted  during  the  winter  months  on  the 
prairie  regions  of  this  county  and  also  in  the  neighborhood  of 
Warrensburg  (Scott).  It  is  occasionally  seen  in  the  company 
of  Lapland  Longspurs,  from  which  it  is  readily  distinguishable. 
It  is  not  so  easily  distinguished  from  the  Smith's  Longspur. 

[RHYNCHOPHANES  MCCOWNI  (Lawrence).  McCown's  Longspur.] 
Probable  migrant  and  winter  resident. 

'This  Longspur  can  scarcely  be  distinguished  in  the  field  from 
the  Chestnut-collared.  Though  there  can  be  little  doubt  of  its 
more  or  less  regular  occurrence  here,  as  specimens  have  been 
taken  on  all  sides  of  us,  there  is  no  positive  evidence  yet  at  hand 
that  it  visits  Jackson  County.  The  species  should  be  looked  for. 

POOECETES  GRAMINEUS  GRAMINEUS  (Gmelin).     Vesper  Sparrow. 
Fairly  common  migrant;  very  rare  summer  resident. 

The  Vesper  Sparrow  arrives  from  the  south  about  the  first 
of  April  (March  31,  1895;  March  23,  1916,  earliest)  and  is  no 
longer  present  after  the  20th  to  25th  of  the  month.  It  is  here 
again  during  October  and  has  never  been  seen  later  than  No- 
vember 5th.  Though  there  are  two  or  three  summer  records,  it 
is  not  considered  a  regular  breeder  in  this  vicinity. 

The  Vesper  Sparrow  is  found  in  open  fields  or  along  grassy 
hillsides  covered  with  open  groves.  It  is  about  intermediate  in 
its  choice  of  cover  between  the  Savannah  Sparrow  of  the  open 
prairie  and  the  Song  Sparrow  which  never  moves  far  from  thick 
shelter.  Some  very  good  sparrow  haunts  are  to  be  found  in  and 
about  Swope  Park. 

PASSERCULUS    SANDWICHENSIS    SAVANNA    (Wilson).      Savannah 

Sparrow. 
Common  migrant  and  very  rare  and  irregular  summer  resident. 

The  Savannah  Sparrow  arrives  during  the  middle  of  March 
and  is  common  until  the  third  week  in  April.  There  are  a  few 


Harris — Birds  of  the  Kansas  City  Region.  295 

known  instances  of  its  remaining  during  the  entire  summer.  The 
nest  has  never  been  found  in  the  county.  The  first  southbound 
migrants  have  been  noted  as  early  as  September  26th  and  the 
species  is  common  again  during  the  first  three  weeks  of  October. 
All  are  gone  by  the  end  of  the  first  week  in  November. 

Savannah  Sparrows  may  be  found  anywhere  in  the  county 
in  weedy  fields,  open  bottom  lands  and  on  the  prairies. 

PASSERCULUS   SANDWICHENSIS  ALAUDINUS  Bonaparte.     Western 

Savannah  Sparrow. 
Migrant,  probably  not  rare. 

Three  specimens  of  this  subspecies  taken  by  Teachenor  near 
Lawrence,  and  one  taken  by  Tindall  near  Independence,  con- 
stitute the  only  available  records  on  which  to  base  an  estimate 
of  the  comparative  abundance  here  of  the  two  forms  of  the  Sa- 
vannah Sparrow.  That  the  western  form  is  a  regular  migrant 
through  Jackson  County,  there  can  be  little  doubt,  since  it  has 
been  frequently  taken  east  of  here,  and  is  considered  common 
about  Lawrence. 

AMMODRAMUS  BAIRDI  (Audubon).     Baird's  Sparrow. 
Very  uncommon  migrant. 

But  two  known  specimens  of  Baird's  Sparrow  have  been 
taken  in  this  vicinity  (Wilson,  Buchanan  County),  though  it 
may  often  occur  in  the  company  of  other  migrating  sparrows, 
especially  in  the  large  flocks  to  be  found  in  the  Missouri  bot- 
toms. This  district  lies  within  the  migratory  path  of  this 
sparrow. 

AMMODRAMUS  SAVANNARUM  AUSTRALIS  Maynard.     Grasshopper 

Sparrow. 

Very  common  migrant;  irregular,  sometimes  not  uncommon  summer 
resident. 

The  Grasshopper  Sparrow  arrives  about  April  25th,  and 
after  the  middle  of  May  only  breeding  birds  are  present.  The 
last  have  left  by  early  October.  In  some  years  none  seem  to 
remain  to  breed,  but  in  others,  as  during  the  summer  of  1918, 
many  pairs  may  be  found  in  suitable  localities. 

This  sparrow  is  to  be  found  chiefly  on  the  prairie  regions  in 
high  grass  and  in  clover  fields.  It  is  a  common  visitor  to  the 


296  Trans.  Acad.  Sci.  of  St.  Louis. 

meadow  in  Swope  Park,  where  it  sometimes  breeds,  and  along 
the  Missouri  Pacific  right-of-way  in  the  upper  Blue  Valley, 
where  there  is  much  red  clover. 

The  weak,  high-pitched,  insect-like  notes  of  this  little  skulker 
more  often  attract  attention  to  it  than  an  actual  sight  of  the 
bird. 

AMMODRAMUS   SAVANNARUM   BIMACULATUS   Swainson.     Western 

Grasshopper  Sparrow. 
Rare  migrant. 

The  study  of  a  more  extensive  series  of  Grasshopper  Sparrow 
specimens  than  is  yet  available  will  be  necessary  in  order  to 
determine  the  local  abundance  of  the  western  form.  Only  one 
specimen  (Teachenor,  Lawrence,  Oct.  14,  '16)  has  been  exam- 
ined. Further  collecting  may  establish  this  subspecies  as  a 
regular  migrant  in  this  region. 

PASSERHERBULUS  HENSLOWI  HENSLOWI   (Audubon).     Henslow's 

Sparrow. 
Not  uncommon  migrant;  rather  uncommon  summer  resident. 

The  Henslow's  Sparrow  arrives  usually  during  early  April 
(March  28,  1916,  earliest)  and  leaves  during  October.  It  nests 
about  marshy  places  and  wet  meadows  and  in  damp  grassy 
places.  It  has  been  frequently  observed  in  the  alfalfa  field  in 
Swope  Park,  on  the  Armour  stock  farm,  about  Lake  City  and 
has  been  found  nesting  near  Independence.  It  is  one  of  the 
runners  in  the  grass  that  may  be  easily  overlooked. 

PASSERHERBULUS  LECONTEI   (Audubon).     Leconte's  Sparrow. 
Common  migrant. 

The  first  movement  of  Leconte's  Sparrows  into  the  county  is 
usually  noticeable  in  late  February  (Feb.  25,  1916;  Feb.  25, 
1917),  but  they  are  not  numerous  until  two  weeks  later.  By 
the  15th  to  20th  of  April  they  are  gone,  not  to  be  seen  again  until 
late  September.  They  remain  until  well  into  December  (Dec. 
19,  1896,  latest). 

These  little  sparrows  are  found  on  the  high  grassy  prairies 
as  well  as  in  the  open  grassy  bottom  lands.  They  are  not  so 
easily  overlooked  as  some  of  their  more  skulking  kin,  though 
they  are  great  hiders  and  runners  through  the  grass. 


Harris — Birds  of  the  Kansas  City  Region.  297 

CHONDESTES  GRAMMACUS  GRAMMACUS  (Say).    Lark  Sparrow. 
Fairly  common  summer  resident. 

The  Lark  Finch  may  be  expected  from  the  19th  to  28th  of 
April  (April  10,  1892,  earliest),  remaining  until  late  Septem- 
ber. It  is  generally  distributed  over  the  entire  county  near  the 
ledges,  or  barrens  above  the  streams,  where  the  soil  is  thin  and 
there  are  small  scattered  trees.  It  may  be  looked  for  on  the 
farming  country  adjacent  to  the  bluff  regions  and  in  the  upper 
Blue  Valley.  It  is  rather  rare  in  Swope  Park,  though  one  pair 
nested  on  the  rifle  range  in  June,  1917. 

The  Lark  Sparrow  is  a  ground  nester  and  lays  its  eggs  late 
in  May.  It  is  a  beautiful  songster  and  a  conspicuously  marked 
bird  and  may  not  be  easily  overlooked. 

ZONOTRICHIA  QUERULA   (Nuttall).     Harris's  Sparrow. 
Very  common  migrant;  fairly  common  winter  resident. 

So  far  as  the  writer  is  aware,  the  district  embraced  in  this 
list  has  given  to  science  but  two  birds;  namely,  the  Harris's 
Sparrow  and  the  Bell's  Vireo.  Harris's  Sparrow  may  properly 
be  called  Jackson  County's  own  bird,  since  it  was  discovered 
here,  very  possibly  within  the  present  corporate  limits  of  Kan- 
sas City  itself.  In  late  April,  1834,  Thomas  Nuttall,  who  with 
Townsend  was  making  a  transcontinental  journey  in  the 
interest  of  science,  discovered,  "a  few  miles  west  of  Independ- 
ence, ' '  on  the  road  to  "Westport,  a  new  bird  which  he  named  the 
Mourning  Finch.  Not  until  1840,  when  Volume  1  of  the  second 
edition  of  his  "Manual  of  the  Birds  of  the  United  States  and 
Canada"  was  published,  did  he  describe  the  finch  and  give  it 
its  systematic  name.  The  fact  of  a  later  vernacular  name  be- 
coming current  is  traceable  to  an  oversight  of  Audubon,  who, 
not  knowing  of  Nuttall 's  discovery,  thought  he  had  found  a  new 
bird  near  Leavenworth  on  his  memorable  trip  up  the  Missouri 
River  in  1843.  He  named  the  bird  in  honor  of  his  much  es- 
teemed friend  and  companion  on  the  trip,  Edward  Harris,  which 
name  has  been  recognized  by  the  American  Ornithologists'  Union 
and  thus  made  permanent. 

The  Harris's  Sparrow  makes  its  first  appearance  here  late  in 
the  first  week  of  October  and  is  present  in  varying  abundance 
until  late  in  November,  after  which  only  the  wintering  birds 
are  to  be  found.  If  the  winter  be  exceptionally  severe,  as  in 


298  Trans.  Acad.  Sci.  of  St.  Louis. 

1916-17  and  1917-18,  only  a  few  hardy  birds  remain  to  find 
shelter  in  the  dense  cover  of  the  Missouri  bottom,  undergrowth. 
During  open  and  mild  winters  a  few  may  be  found  in  the 
hedges  and  weed  patches  of  the  prairie  country. 

The  northward  movement  begins  late  in  February,  but  is  not 
marked  by  the  characteristic  waves,  when  great  numbers  are 
here  today  and  gone  tomorrow,  until  three  or  four  weeks  later. 
The  Harris's  Sparrow  usually  disappears  by  the  first  of  May, 
though  during  late  seasons  it  may  remain  until  the  second  or 
third  week  (May  17,  1916;  May  11,  1913,  common). 

The  notes  of  this  handsome  sparrow  are  querulous  and  pitched 
in  a  minor  key  and  though  very  similar  to  those  of  their  travel- 
ing companions,  the  White-throats,  are  readily  distinguished 
from  them  by  the  absence  of  a  well-marked  form. 

ZONOTRICHIA  LEUCOPHRYS  LEUCOPHRYS  (J.  R.  Forster).    White- 

crowned  Sparrow. 
Common  migrant;  not  uncommon  winter  resident. 

The  first  "White-crowned  Sparrows  come  down  from  the  north 
early  in  October  and  are  present  in  numbers  until  the  first  or 
second  week  in  November,  after  which  only  a  few  scattered  win- 
tering flocks  remain.  They  are  again  numerous  from  late  March 
or  early  April  until  the  first  week  in  May  (May  14,  1916,  latest). 
Their  haunts  are  the  same  as  those  of  the  Harris's  Sparrow. 

ZONOTRICHIA  LEUCOPHRYS  GAMBELI   (Nuttall).     Gambel's  Spar- 
row. 
Rather  rare  migrant  and  winter  resident. 

A  few  scattered  flocks  of  this  subspecies  are  to  be  found  on 
the  prairies  of  western  Jackson  County  during  winter,  being 
more  numerous  in  open  winters. 

To  Mr.  Dix  Teachenor  belongs  the  credit  of  discovering  the 
fact  that  these  prairie  birds  are  gambeli  and  not  leucophrys  as 
supposed.  Specimens  were  taken  in  the  region  southwest  of  the 
Country  Club  on  February  25,  1917. 

ZONOTRICHIA  ALBICOLLIS  (Gmelin).     White-throated  Sparrow. 
Very  common  migrant. 

The  White-throated  Sparrow  arrives  from  the  south  early  in 
April  (March  28,  1898;  March  25,  1905;  March  23,  1907,  earliest 


Harris — Birds  of  the  Kansas  City  Region.  299 

dates)  and  is  present  until  the  middle  of  May,  being  most  abun- 
dant about  the  third  week  in  April.  It  is  present  again  during 
October  and  is  usually  gone  before  the  first  of  November.  The 
only  winter  record  is  January  17,  1904,  when  a  flock  of  fifty 
was  seen  by  Smithson  in  the  adjoining  county. 

This  sparrow  is  usually  found  with  other  large  Fringillidae 
and  may  be  looked  for  in  all  parts  of  the  county  in  suitable  open 
districts,  along  hedges  and  brushy  ravines,  weedy  fields,  road- 
side tangles  and  about  the  edges  of  timber.  It  is  plentiful  in 
the  Swope  Park  neighborhood  and  in  the  Missouri  bottoms. 

SPIZELLA  MONTICOLA  MONTICOLA  (Gmelin).    Tree  Sparrow. 
Abundant  winter  resident. 

The  first  Tree  Sparrows  arrive  from  their  northern  breeding 
grounds  from  the  13th  to  21st  of  October,  but  are  not  numerous 
until  well  into  November.  From  then  on  until  early  March 
they  are  present  in  great  numbers  throughout  the  county.  After 
the  first  few  days  in  April  they  are  no  longer  present  (April  15, 
1906;  April  9,  1917,  latest). 

This  species  and  the  Junco  are  the  commonest  winter  birds 
and  are  usually  found  together.  They  are  abundant  in  the  out- 
skirts of  the  city  during  winter. 

SPIZELLA  MONTICOLA  OCHRACEA  Brewster.     Western  Tree  Spar- 
row. 
Winter  visitant,  probably  fairly  common. 

There  are  nine  specimens  of  the  Western  Tree  Sparrow  in  the 
Teachenor  series  which  testify  to  its  regular  occurrence  in  the 
neighborhood  of  Lawrence.  A  large  enough  series  of  Tree  Spar- 
row skins  taken  in  Jackson  County  has  not  yet  been  assembled 
to  show  in  what  proportion  the  two  forms  occur  in  the  immedi- 
ate neighborhood  of  Kansas  City. 

SPIZELLA   PASSERINA   PASSERINA    (Bechstein).     Chipping   Spar- 
row. 
Very  common  summer  resident. 

The  Migrating  Chipping  Sparrows  arrive  from  March  17th 
(earliest)  to  the  30th,  usually  about  the  20th.  The  local  birds 
take  up  their  breeding  stations  during  the  first  week  in  April 
and  announce  their  presence  about  the  parks  and  boulevards  by 


300  Trans.  Acad.  Sci.  of  St.  Louis. 

their  dry,  monotonous,  high-pitched  song.    The  four  or  five  eggs 
are  laid  in  the  horsehair  nest  during  the  latter  part  of  April. 

They  leave  for  the  south  in  October  and  are  seldom  seen  late  in 
the  month  (November  5,  1916,  only  November  record). 

SPIZELLA  PALLIDA  (Swainson).    Clay-colored  Sparrow. 
Not  uncommon  migrant. 

This  sparrow  is  present  from  the  middle  of  April  to  the  end 
of  the  second  week  in  May  (May  17,  1916,  latest)  and  again  dur- 
ing October.  It  does  not  seem  to  migrate  in  very  large  flocks 
and,  though  easily  distinguished  in  the  field,  it  is  not  a  conspic- 
uous bird  and  may  go  unnoticed,  unless  one  is  familiar  with  its 
hoarse,  wheezy  song. 

It  is  found  on  the  prairie  regions,  about  open  farming  coun- 
try, and  in  the  bottom  lands.  It  has  been  noted  in  the  Swope 
Park  and  Country  Club  neighborhoods  and  is  a  regular  visitor 
to  the  Atherton  and  Courtney  districts. 

SPIZELLA  PUSILLA  PUSILLA  (Wilson).     Field  Sparrow. 

Very  common  summer  resident  and  occasional  winter  resident. 

The  Field  Sparrow  arrives  in  the  first  week  of  March,  though 
a  few  impatient  males  are  heard  singing  sometimes  as  early  as 
the  15th  of  February.  It  becomes  common  by  the  third  week 
of  March.  During  the  last  half  of  October  and  November  the 
bulk  of  the  flight  passes  south.  A  few  are  to  be  seen  in  Decem- 
ber (December  25,  1910;  December  17,  1916)  and  a  very  small 
number  probably  remain  all  winter.  They  nest  in  early  May, 
on  the  ground  or  in  low  bushes. 

Field  Sparrows  inhabit  open  places  near  timber,  particularly 
where  there  is  an  undergrowth  of  buckberry  (Symphoricarpus 
orbiculatus  Moench).  They  are  very  common  about  Swope 
Park. 

SPIZELLA  PUSILLA  ARENACEA  Chadbourne.    Western  Field  Spar- 
row. 
Migrant,  probably  not  rare. 

The  Field  Sparrows  of  this  region  present  a  perplexing  prob- 
lem to  the  writer.  A  dozen  or  more  skins  that  have  been  exam- 
ined are  certainly  not  typical  pusilla,  nor  do  they  exhibit  all 
the  characters  that  mark  arenacea,  though  they  are  much  closer, 


Harris — Birds  of  the  Kansas  City  Region.  301 

in  fact,  nearly  identical  with,  the  latter.  The  only  eastern  speci- 
men available  for  comparison — a  skin  from  Massachusetts — 
shows  much  brighter  coloration  on  the  back,  no  indication  of  a 
grayish  median  stripe  on  the  pileum,  and  a  much  shorter  tail. 
Five  local  specimens  taken  in  the  fall  (October)  are  decidedly 
paler  in  color  and  have  the  characteristic  pileum  of  the  western 
form.  The  tails  and  wings  also  average  longer,  and,  though 
the  ventral  characters  do  not  exactly  coincide  with  Ridgway's 
description,  the  five  specimens  are  so  close  to  arenacea  that  they 
may  be  with  little  doubt  referred  to  that  subspecies. 

Whether  an  intermediate  form  breeds  here  (as  is  suspected) 
will  be  known  as  soon  as  a  series  of  summer  specimens  can  be 
studied. 

JUNCO  AIKENI  Ridgway.     White-winged  Junco. 
Very  rare  winter  visitant. 

This  Junco  has  been  seen  a  few  times  during  severe  winters 
by  Bush  in  the  neighborhood  of  Courtney.  It  was  also  observed 
by  Smithson  near  Warrensburg  on  March  21,  1904.  It  prob- 
ably occurs  here  only  during  occasional  and  very  severe  winters. 
A  specimen  was  taken  by  Mr.  Dix  Teachenor  near  Lawrence 
on  October  24,  1912. 

JUNCO  HYEM ALTS  HYEMALIS  (Linn.).    Slate-colored  Junco. 
Abundant  winter  resident. 

Early  in  the  second  week  of  October  the  first  Snowbirds  are 
usually  seen  (October  5,  1901;  October  7,  1917,  earliest)  and  a 
week  or  ten  days  later  hordes  of  migrants  are  present.  Great 
numbers  are  to  be  found  in  all  suitable  localities  over  the  entire 
county  during  winter. 

The  northward  movement  begins  late  in  February  and  by  the 
10th  to  15th  of  April  only  stragglers  are  present  (April  23, 
1907;  April  25,  1915;  April  22,  1916,  latest  dates). 

This  is  our  most  familiar  winter  bird  and  may  be  found  in 
abundance  within  the  city. 

JUNCO  HYEMALIS  CONNECTENS  Coues.     Shufeldt's  Junco. 
Migrant  and  winter  visitant. 

A  large  series  of  Juncos  taken  in  this  district  by  several  col- 
lecto:  s  and  assembled  for  study  has  yielded  several  specimens 
closely,  if  not  quite,  approaching  this  as  well  as  the  following 


302  Trans.  Acad.  Sci.  of  St.  Louis. 

subspecies.    Typical  specimens  of  this  race  have  been  taken  near 
Lawrence  by  Teachenor  and  others. 

JUNCO  HYEMALIS  MONTANUS  Ridgway.    Montana  Junco. 
Migrant  and  winter  visitant. 

The  remarks  on  the  preceding  subspecies  are  equally  applica- 
ble to  the  Montana  race.  The  winter  range  of  this  form  extends 
east  to  the  Mississippi  River,  and,  as  may  be  expected,  the  Mon- 
tana Junco  is  occasionally  found  in  Jackson  County.  At  least 
four  specimens  are  at  hand  which  in  the  writer's  opinion  are 
referable  to  montanus.  The  comparative  abundance  of  the 
Juncos  will,-  however,  be  an  open  question  until  more  material 
can  be  studied. 

MELOSPIZA  MELODIA  MELODIA  (Wilson).     Song  Sparrow. 

Very  common  migrant  and  fairly  common  winter  resident;  very 
rare  summer  resident. 

The  spring  movement  of  Song  Sparrows  begins  early  in  March 
and  migrants  are  abundant  for  the  next  three  weeks.  By  the 
last  few  days  of  April  or  the  first  three  or  four  days  of  May  no 
more  are  to  be  seen  save  an  occasional  nesting  pair.  The  first 
returning  migrants  are  usually  seen  from  the  5th  to  10th  of 
October  and  the  bulk  of  the  flight  passes  during  the  next  three 
or  four  weeks. 

The  wintering  birds  are  most  numerous  in  the  thick  shelter  of 
the  Missouri  bottoms  but  may  be  found  in  small  flocks  on  the 
uplands  as  well.  They  are  rather  common  in  the  Swope 
Park  district  and  on  up  the  Blue  Valley  where  food  and  thick 
shelter  are  to  be  had  during  the  most  severe  winters. 

Bush  has  occasionally  found  Song  Sparrows  nesting  in  the 
Courtney  district. 

MELOSPIZA  LINCOLNI  LINCOLNI  (Audubon).     Lincoln's  Sparrow. 
Fairly  common  migrant  and  rare  winter  resident. 

The  Lincoln's  Sparrow  arrives  from  the  13th  to  the  23rd  of 
April  (March  28,  1916,  earliest  migrant)  and  is  present  until 
between  the  5th  and  8th  of  May  (May  19,  1916,  latest).  The 
first  fall  migrants  are  noticed  about  the  middle  of  October  and 
numbers  are  present  until  the  second  week  in  November.  A 
few  are  always  seen  in  December  and  there  are  a  half  dozen 
January  rcords. 


Harris — Birds  of  the  Kansas  City  Region.  303 

They  seem  to  occur  most  commonly  in  the  Missouri  bottoms 
and  bluff  regions,  but  are  found  in  suitable  sparrow  territory 
over  the  entire  county. 

The  beautiful  though  rather  subdued  song  of  this  sparrow  is 
regularly  heard  in  late  April  and  early  May,  and  occasionally 
in  the  fall  (October  14,  1917). 

MELOSPIZA  GEORGIANA  (Latham).     Swamp  Sparrow. 
Common  migrant  and  not  uncommon  winter  resident. 

The  first  northbound  Swamp  Sparrows  arrive  early  in  March 
though  during  mild  seasons  they  may  come  as  early  as  the  mid- 
dle of  February.  They  are  present  until  late  in  April  and  the 
last  are  seen  during  the  first  week  in  May  (May  9,  1914,  May 
9,  1915,  latest).  The  autumn  migrants  are  present  from  the 
middle  of  October  until  the  first  or  second  week  in  November, 
after  which  only  the  scattered  winter  residents  are  to  be  found. 

Like  the  Lincoln's  Sparrow  this  bird  seems  to  like  best  the 
bottoms  and  bluffs  along  the  river,  especially  in  winter,  where 
there  is  to  be  found  plenty  of  food  and  shelter  in  the  grassy 
sloughs  and  deep  tangles  of  underbrush.  In  less  numbers  they 
are  also  found  on  the  prairie  regions  in  winter,  about  hedges, 
thickets,  wooded  ravines,  weed  patches  and  brushy  creek  bot- 
toms. 

PASSERELLA  ILIAC  A  ILIACA  (Merrem).    Fox  Sparrow. 
Very  common  migrant  and  fairly  common  winter  resident. 

During  open  and  mild  winters  when  the  Fox  Sparrow  is  com- 
mon, it  is  difficult  to  say  just  when  the  migrants  arrive,  though 
they  are  particularly  numerous  all  during  March.  The  few 
April  records  are  for  stragglers  and  are  all  in  the  first  half  of 
the  month.  The  first  fall  migrants  arrive  late  in  September 
and  become  common  early  in  October,  the  bulk  passing  during 
the  first  three  weeks.  After  the  first  week  in  November  only 
the  wintering  birds  are  left.  The  Fox  Sparrow  may  be  said 
to  be  an  irregular  winter  resident,  since  it  is  very  numerous  in 
all  parts  of  the  county  during  some  winters  and  during  others 
only  a  few  scattered  birds  are  to  be  found  in  the  thickest  cover 
of  the  deep  sheltered  bottom  lands. 

During  the  migration  periods  they  are  found  everywhere  in 
the  open  country  but  the  largest  flocks  follow  the  bluffs  and 
bottoms  along  the  Missouri  River. 


304  Trans.  Acad.  Sci.  of  St.  Louis. 

PlPILO    ERYTHROPHTHALMUS    ERYTHROPHTHALMUS     (LilUl.). 

hee. 

Common  summer  resident  and  abundant  migrant;  irregular  winter 
resident. 

Not  many  days  before  or  after  the  15th  of  March  the  return- 
ing Towhees  announce  their  presence  from  every  thicket  and 
wooded  ravine  and  hillside.  For  about  three  weeks  the  woods 
are  full  of  singing  migrants.  At  this  time  they  are  to  be  found 
even  along  the  streets  and  boulevards  of  the  city.  Nesting  be- 
gins late  in  April  and  early  May.  The  southward  movement  is 
noticeable  early  in  October  and  the  birds  present  in  November 
will  remain  all  winter  unless  driven  further  south  by  unusual 
cold.  These  wintering  birds  are  few  even  in  mild  winters. 

Towhees  are  common  over  the  entire  county  in  suitable  lo- 
calities and  may  be  found  in  the  cemeteries,  parks  and  suburbs. 

PIPILO  MACULATUS  ARCTicus   (Swainson).     Arctic  Towhee. 

Very  rare  winter  visitant. 

Bush  states  that  he  has  observed  the  Arctic  Towhee  at  rare 
intervals  near  Courtney  during  severe  winters  and  that  speci- 
mens have  been  taken.  Bunker  gives  it  as  rare  in  eastern  Kan- 
sas during  winter. 

CARDINALIS  CARDINALIS  CARDINALIS  (Linnaeus).     Cardinal. 

Very  common  resident. 

Some  question  exists  as  to  the  status  of  our  Cardinal.  Ridg- 
way  states  (Bull.  50,  U.  S.  N.  M.,  Birds  of  North  &  Middle 
Amr.,  part  1,  p.  637)  that  it  is  very  uncertain  how  far  south 
along  the  eastern  border  of  the  plains  this  form  (C.  c.  car- 
dinalis),  or  how  far  north  the  Texan  form  (C.  c.  canicaudus 
— Gray-tailed  Cardinal)  extends;  "possibly  even  birds  from 
eastern  Kansas  are  referable  to  the  latter."  He  states  further 
(1.  c.  p.  636)  that  specimens  from  the  Mississippi  Valley  are 
so  completely  intermediate  between  the  two  forms  that  they 
may  almost  as  properly  be  referred  to  one  as  to  the  other. 

There  has  been  available  for  study  a  series  of  ten  males  and 
six  females  from  this  region  and  only  two  male  specimens  from 
east  of  the  Allegheny  Mountains,  but  no  typical  C.  c.  canicaudus 
has  been  examined.  A  carefully  drawn  up  table  of  measure- 
ments shows  a  very  slight  increase  in  the  size  of  the  local  birds 
over  the  eastern  specimens.  No  difference  in  the  distribution 


Harris — Birds  of  the  Kansas  City  Region.  305 

or  intensity  of  the  coloration  can  be  detected.  A  comparison 
of  the  females  with  Ridgway's  description  of  the  female  cani- 
caudus  type  leads  to  the  conclusion  that  the  local  bird  is  true 
C.  c.  cardinalis,  or  is  at  least  much  closer  to  it  than  to  C.  c. 
canicaudus.  Mr.  Dix  Teachenor  states  that  his  study  of  the 
material  in  the  Kansas  University  Museum  leads  him  to  be- 
lieve that  the  Gray-tailed  Cardinal  does  not  range  so  far  north 
as  Douglas  County,  Kansas,  or  Jackson  County,  Missouri,  and 
that  he  unhesitatingly  referred  the  specimens  in  his  collection, 
taken  in  the  Lawrence  neighborhood,  to  the  eastern  form. 

The  Cardinal  is  common  throughout  the  county  and  is  resi- 
dent during  the  entire  year.  It  nests  freely  in  the  suburbs  of 
the  city  and  is  abundant  in  the  parks  and  cemeteries.  Its 
three  or  foui-  eggs  are  laid  in  May  and  more  than  one  brood  is 
raised.  The  nest  is  a  loose,  bulky  structure  placed  in  low  trees, 
bushes,  briar  tangles  or  thick  vines. 

The  Redbird  is  silent  only  during  the  time  of  moulting,  after 
the  last  brood  of  young  are  out  of  the  nest.  Great  numbers 
pass  the  severe  periods  of  winter  in  the  shelter  of  Swope  Park, 
in  the  upper  Blue  Valley,  along  the  bluffs  and  in  the  timbered 
bottoms. 

ZAMELODIA  LUDOVICIANA   (Linn.).     Rose-breasted  Grosbeak. 
Common  migrant;   not  uncommon  summer  resident. 

The  first  Rose-breasts  arrive  between  April  19th  (earliest) 
and  29th  and  are  common  during  early  May  when  the  bulk  of 
the  migrants  are  present.  After  the  middle  of  the  month  only 
the  breeding  birds  remain.  The  autumn  migration  is  notice- 
able in  middle  and  late  September.  There  are  no  October  re- 
cords for  this  vicinity. 

Rose-breasted  Grosbeaks  are  to  be  found  in  all  parts  of  the 
county  in  wooded  tracts  and  even  breed  sparingly  within  the 
city. 

GUIRACA  CAERULEA  CAERULEA  (Linn.).    Blue  Grosbeak. 
Recent  and  very  rare  summer  resident. 

Prior  to  the  summer  of  1918  there  were  but  three  known  in- 
stances cf  the  occurrence  of  the  Blue  Grosbeak  in  this  vicinity, 
and  these  records  were  not  entirely  satisfactory.  On  July  13, 
1918,  a  nest  containing  young  was  found  in  a  peach  orchard 
on  the  farm  of  Mrs.  M.  J.  Morrin,  just  east  of  Swope  Park. 


306  Trans.  Acad.  Sci.  of  St.  Louis. 

Both  old  birds  were  observed  feeding  the  young,  and  the  male 
sang  almost  continuously.  Mrs.  Morrin  states  that  the  birds 
were  present  during  the  summer  of  1917.  This  is  the  most 
northern  breeding  record  for  Missouri.  A  pair  observed  by 
Smithson  near  Warrensburg  in  June,  1904,  were  possibly  nest- 
ing. 

Like  the  Bewick's  Wren  this  bird  seems  to  be  extending  its 
range  in  this  direction. 

PASSERINA  CYANEA  (Linn.).    Indigo  Bunting. 
Very  common  summer  resident. 

The  Indigo  Bunting  arrives  regularly  during  the  last  three 
days  in  April  or  the  first  three  days  in  May.  It  nests  in  late 
May  and  early  June  and  leaves  for  the  south  during  the  early 
part  of  October. 

It  is  found  in  dry,  open  woodlands,  about  the  edges  of  thick 
timber,  along  brushy  ravines,  hillsides  or  roads  and  in  any 
country  overgrown  with  brush.  It  is  very  common  in  the 
Swope  Park  district,  on  the  prairies  in  favorable  localities,  in 
the  bottom  country  and  bluff  regions  and  along  railroads. 

PASSERINA  AMOENA  (Say).    Lazuli  Bunting. 
Occasional  or  accidental  visitant. 

Only  wanderers  out  of  their  range  are  likely  to  be  met  with 
in  this  vicinity.  One  specimen  has  been  taken  here,  two  have 
been  taken  at  St.  Joseph,  Missouri,  and  one  at  Leavenworth, 
Kansas. 

SPIZA  AMERICANA  (Gmelin).    Dickcissel. 
Very  common  summer  resident. 

The  Dickcissels  arrive  during  the  last  half  of  April  and  are 
very  common  early  in  May.  Nesting  begins  by  the  middle  of 
the  month  and  two  or  three  broods  are  raised.  They  leave  in 
September,  very  few  remaining  into  October. 

The  Dickcissel  nests  on  the  ground  or  in  low  bushes  and  is  a 
lover  of  open  fields.  It  is  rarely  found  in  the  Missouri  bottoms 
except  during  migration  but  is  very  common  on  the  higher  re- 
gions of  the  county.  About  fifteen  pairs  nest  regularly  on  the 
rifle  range  and  adjoining  meadow  in  Swope  Park  but  during 
some  unfortunate  years,  as  in  1917,  they  are  all  driven  off  and 
the  nests  destroyed  by  the  early  mowing  of  these  tracts. 


Harris — Birds  of  the  Kansas  City  Region.  307 

Family  TANGARIDAE.    Tanagers. 

PIRANGA  ERYTHROMELAS  Vieillot.     Scarlet  Tanager. 
Common  summer  resident. 

The  Scarlet  Tanager  arrives  from  April  25th  (1895,  earliest) 
to  the  30th,  sometimes  not  until  the  last  days  of  the  first  week  in 
May.  Nesting  begins  in  early  June,  and  after  the  postnuptial 
moult,  when  the  young  are  on  the  wing,  the  birds  leave  for  the 
south.  The  migrating  period  occupies  nearly  all  of  September. 
By  the  first  of  October  all  have  left. 

The  Tanagers  are  woods-loving  birds  and  are  always  found 
in  the  neighborhood  of  timber. 

This  species  has  a  general  distribution  over  the  county  and 
breeds  in  the  timbered  bottoms  as  well  as  in  the  woods  of  the 
high  country  and  near  the  edges  of  the  prairie  regions. 

It  is  common  in  Swope  Park  and  the  upper  Blue  Valley  and 
breeds  at  several  points  in  the  southern  suburbs. 

PIRANGA  RUBRA  RUBRA  (Linn.).     Summer  Tanager. 
Fairly  common  summer  resident. 

This  tanager  arrives  with  its  congener  in  late  April  or  early 
May  and  leaves  during  September.  It  is  perhaps  not  quite  as 
common  as  the  Scarlet  and  is  never  found  nesting  in  the  Mis- 
souri bottom  lands  or  other  low  timber.  It  prefers  higher 
country,  particularly  dry  oak  woods,  and  occasionally  builds  its 
nest  in  orchards  or  other  timber  close  to  habitations. 

It  is  numerous  in  Swope  Park  and  on  the  wooded  hills  and 
ridges  of  the  upper  Blue  Valley,  as  well  as  in  many  similar 
places  in  the  central  and  southern  parts  of  the  county. 

Family  HIRUNDINIDAE.     Swallows. 

PROGNE  SUBIS  SUBIS  (Linn.).     Purple  Martin. 
Very  common  summer  resident. 

The  earliest  Martins  arrive  in  mid-March  (from  the  4th  to 
26th).  These  are  a  few  impatients  males  that  are  sometimes 
forcec  by  late  storms  to  rejoin  their  less  venturesome  brothers 
further  south.  By  the  last  week  in  March  there  are  always  a 
few  present  and  during  the  following  two  weeks  they  are  joined 
daily  by  fresh  arrivals.  It  sometimes  happens  that  late  sleet 
storms  force  the  Martins  to  remain  in  their  roosts  for  two  or 
three  successive  days  when  they  starve  to  death. 


308  Trans.  Acad.  Sci.  of  St.  Louis. 

Nesting  begins  early  in  May  and  when  the  young  are  out  the 
birds  begin  flocking  to  common  roosts  in  the  bottoms.  They 
leave  on  the  southern  journey  during  early  September. 

Martins  are  sociable  birds  and  breed  in  colonies  wherever 
suitable  bird-houses  are  provided  or  where  they  are  able  to  find 
room  in  the  cornices  of  old  business  buildings,  as  on  north 
Main  Street  and  elsewhere  in  the  city. 

To  attract  a  colony  of  Martins  it  is  necessary  to  provide  a 
house  of  several  rooms  with  the  entrance  holes  at  the  bottom 
and  placed  as  high  from  the  ground  as  possible.  It  is  also 
necessary  to  have  the  house  out  in  the  open  away  from  trees. 

PETROCHELIDON  LUNIFRONS  LUNIFRONS  (Say). 

PETROCHELIDON  ALBIFRONS  ALBIFRONS    (Rafinesque).     Proposed 

April,  1917.     Cliff  Swallow. 

Not  uncommon  migrant;  very  rare  summer  resident. 

For  twenty  years  prior  to  1917  no  Cliff  Swallows  were  known 
to  breed  in  Jackson  County.  During  that  summer  a  colony  of 
about  a  dozen  pairs  remained  to  breed  in  the  neighborhood  of 
Atherton.  There  are  a  few  colonies  in  the  adjoining  counties 
on  the  east  and  north. 

During  migration  they  are  regularly  seen  in  small  numbers 
hawking  for  insects  over  ponds  with  other  swallows. 

They  arrive  in  late  April  and  leave  in  early  September. 

HIRUNDO  ERYTHROGASTRA  Boddaert.    Barn  Swallow. 
Abundant  migrant  and  not  uncommon  summer  resident. 

The  Barn  Swallow  arrives  from  the  13th  to  20th  of  April  and 
departs  during  the  last  half  of  September. 

It  is  found  in  all  parts  of  the  county  except  close  to  the  city. 
It  builds  in  farm  outbuildings,  attaching  its  mud  and  straw 
nest  to  rafters,  beams  and  walls. 

Hosts  of  these  and  other  swallows  are  to  be  found  in  the  Mis- 
souri bottoms  during  migration  where  they  find  congenial  roost- 
ing and  feeding  places.  Numbers  of  swallows  are  also  to  be 
found  over  the  Swope  Park  lakes  during  May  and  September. 

IRIDOPROCNE  BICOLOR  (Vieillot).    Tree  Swallow. 
Very  common  migrant. 

During  the  second  half  of  April  and  early  May,  and  in  Sep- 
tember and  October  the  White-bellied  Swallow  is  abundant. 


Harris — Birds  of  the  Kansas  City  Region.  309 

During  this  time  it  is  to  be  found  hawking  for  insects  over  any 
body  of  water  with  other  swallows  and  flocking  to  the  lowlands 
to  roost. 

It  breeds  not  far  to  the  north  but  has  never  been  found  nest- 
ing in  this  county. 

RIPARIA  RIPARIA  (Linn.).    Bank  Swallow. 
Common  summer  resident. 

The  Bank  Swallow  arrives  during  the  last  half  of  April  and 
leaves  in  the  first  and  second  weeks  of  September.  It  may  be 
found  in  migration  about  any  suitable  feeding  place  in  the 
company  of  other  swallows  but  in  the  breeding  season  is  found 
only  near  the  Missouri  River.  Great  numbers  breed  in  colonies 
in  the  high  sandy  banks  of  the  river  and  in  the  exposed  faces  of 
the  deep  deposits  of  loess  along  the  bluffs.  Several  railroad  cuts 
at  the  base  of  the  bluffs  afford  suitable  sites  for  their  nesting 
burrows. 

This  swallow  may  be  distinguished  from  the  Rough-wing,  in 
whose  company  it  is  often  found,  by  the  dusky  throat  band. 
The  Rough-wing  has  a  dusky  patch  that  is  not  clearly  defined 
by  the  unmarked  throat. 

STELGIDOPTERYX  SERRIPENNIS  (Audubon).    Rough-winged  Swal- 
low. 
Common  summer  resident. 

The  Rough-wing  arrives  sometimes  as  early  as  April  4th  but 
more  often  near  the  15th  or  20th  and  is  present  until  late  Sep- 
tember. It  is  more  widely  distributed  in  this  county  in  summer 
than  the  Bank  Swallow  though  it  has  much  the  same  nesting 
habits.  It  breeds  in  crevices  in  masonry,  particularly  in  bridges 
but  also  in  clay  banks,  but  never  in  large  colonies  like  those  of 
the  Bank  Swallow,  nor  in  such  deep  burrows. 

It  has  been  seen  feeding  about  the  Swope  Park  lakes  during 
summer  and  no  doubt  nests  in  the  park. 

Family  BOMBYCILLIDAE.     Waxwings. 

BOMBYCILLA  GARRULA  (Linn.).     Bohemian  Waxwing. 
Very  rare  and  irregular  winter  visitant. 

Only  three  specimens  of  this  rare  and  uncertain  bird  have 
ever  been  taken  in  this  vicinity:  February  27,  1911,  December 


310  Trans.  Acad.  Sci.  of  St.  Louis. 

25,  1916,  and  another,  date  unknown,  taken  in  Platte  County 
by  Jno.  Bryant. 

The  Bohemian  Waxwing  may  occur  more  frequently  than  is 
known  and  students  should  closely  scrutinize  and  follow  up 
every  winter  flock  of  Cedar  Waxwings  seen  in  the  hope  of  find- 
ing it.  It  is  easily  distinguished  by  its  much  larger  size  and  by 
the  presence  of  white  in  the  wing. 

BOMBYCILLA  CEDRORUM  Vieillot.    Cedar  Waxwing. 

Irregular,  sometimes  common,  migrant  and  winter  resident;   doubt- 
ful summer  resident. 

The  following  dates  selected  from  a  mass  of  notes  on  this 
bird  will  show  the  puzzle  of  its  local  occurrence. 

Jan.  17,  1915.  Twenty.  Apr.  30,  1896.  Flock. 

Jan.  26,  1905.  Small  flock.  May     6,  1894.  Flock. 

Feb.     4,  1894.  Numbers.  May     7,  1911.  Twelve. 

Feb.  11,  1904.  Few.  May  20,  1916.  Flock. 

Feb.  15,  1917.  Eighteen.  May  25,  1894.  Small  flock. 

Feb.  20,  1916.  Twelve.  May  30,  1904.  Flock. 

Feb.  21,  1901.  Numbers.  May  30,  1916.  Twenty-five. 

Mar.     2,  1914.  Twenty.  Jun.     2,  1894.  Few. 

Mar.     5,  1903.  Flock.  Jun.     4,  1894.  Few. 

Mar.     6,  1898.  Small  flock.  Jun.     5,  1907.  Few. 

Mar.  12,  1916.  Thirty.  Jun.     8,  1897.  Few. 

Mar.  19,  1915.  Forty.  Oct.      8,  1916.  Forty. 

Mar.  26,  1914.  Flock.  Oct.    17,  1915.  Flock. 

Apr.    4,  1907.  Large  flock.  Oct.    31,  1904.  Seventy. 

Apr.     5,  1896.  Twenty.  Nov.     5,  1893.  Flock. 

Apr.     9,  1905.  Three.  Nov.  13,  1893.  Flock. 

Apr.  17,  1905.  Flock.  Nov.  30,  1916.  Two. 

Apr.  28,  1917.  Small  flock.  Dec.  25,  1916.  Eight. 

The  Cedar  Waxwing  probably  occurs  during  the  three 
months  not  given  and  yet  it  has  never  been  known  to  breed  in 
this  vicinity. 

Flocks  are  likely  to  be  met  with  in  any  part  of  the  county. 
They  are  fond  of  hackberries,  persimmons,  wild  grapes,  choke 
cherries  and  many  other  kinds  of  wild  fruit  found  here  in 
abundance. 

They  sometimes  swoop  down  into  the  shade  trees  along  the 


Harris — Birds  of  the  Kansas  City  Region.  311 

boulevards  but  are  most  often  seen  in  the  Missouri  bottoms  and 
bluff  regions. 

Family  LANIIDAE.    Shrikes. 

LANIUS  BOREALIS  Vieillot.    Northern  Shrike. 

Rare  winter  visitant. 

The  Northern  Shrike  is  distinctly  larger  than  the  Migrant 
Shrike,  and  may  be  recognized  in  the  field  by  its  size  by  a  care- 
ful observer  familiar  with  the  latter  species.  It  may  be  looked 
for  anywhere  in  the  county  during  winter.  It  is  never  numer- 
ous and  in  some  winters  is  not  seen.  It  is  likely  to  be  met  with 
any  time  between  early  November  and  late  March  or  early 
April. 

Three  specimens  only  are  known  to  have  been  taken  in  this 
vicinity,  November  24,  1901,  January  18,  1909  (Bankers),  the 
third  date  not  being  available.  Bush  gives  several  dates  on 
which  he  has  observed  this  bird. 

LANIUS  LUDOVICIANUS  EXCUBITORIDES  Swainson.     White-rumped 

Shrike. 
Accidental  visitant. 

Only  one  specimen  of  this  western  shrike  has  ever  been  taken 
in  the  county  (April  25,  1902),  and  it  is  considered  only  acci- 
dental. Its  range  in  this  latitude  extends  as  far  east  as  central 
Kansas. 

LANIUS  LUDOVICIANUS  MIGRANS  W.  Palmer.     Migrant  Shrike. 
Common  summer  resident;  .occasional  winter  resident. 

The  Migrant  Shrike  is  the  breeding  form  for  this  district  and 
arrives  commonly  from  the  12th  to  20th  of  March.  It  departs 
in  late  October  and  early  November  and  a  few  may  remain 
during  mild  and  open  winters.  Even  in  severe  winters  an  oc- 
casional bird  is  seen. 

This  shrike  is  fairly  common  over  the  whole  county  but  is 
most  numerous  on  the  prairies  and  open  farming  country,  par- 
ticularly where  the  osage  orange  hedges  afford  it  breeding 
places.  It  is  seldom  seen  in  the  Swope  Park  neighborhood  but 
is  common  south  of  the  Country  Club  district  and  on  the  high 
country  south  and  east  of  Forest  Hill  Cemetery  and  beyond 
Dodson. 

The  nesting  period  is  during  the  last  two  weeks  of  April  and 


312  Trans.  Acad.  Sci.  of  St.  Louis. 

later.     Four  to  seven  eggs  are  laid  and  two  broods  are  often 
raised. 

Family  VIREONIDAE.     Vireos. 

VIREOSYLVA  OLIVACEA  (Linn.).    Red-eyed  Vireo. 
Common  summer  resident. 

The  Red-eyed  Vireo  arrives  regularly  during  the  last  four 
days  of  April  and  leaves  during  the  last  week  of  September.  It 
is  our  commonest  vireo  and  comes  freely  into  the  wooded  sec- 
tions of  the  city  to  breed.  One  pair  even  yet  comes  to  nest  in 
a  thicket  on  the  ledge  in  Penn  Valley  Park,  a  few  blocks  from 
thte  Union  Station.  Red-eyed  Vireos  are  numerous  in  and 
about  Swope  Park,  in  some  of  the  cemeteries,  in  the  wooded 
sections  bordering  the  Country  Club  and  other  districts  within 
the  city  and  along  the  bluffs.  The  nesting  season  begins  about 
the  second  week  in  May. 

VIREOSYLVA  PHILADELPHIA  Cassin.     Philadelphia  Vireo. 
Rather  rare  migrant. 

There  are  but  six  known  records  of  the  local  occurrence  of 
this  vireo,  all  during  the  month  of  May.  Two  specimens  have 
been  taken  by  Tindall  on  May  10,  1893,  and  May  8,  1898,  re- 
spectively. 

VIREOSYLVA  GILVA  GILVA  (Vieillot).    Warbling  Vireo. 
Common  migrant  and  not  uncommon  summer  resident. 

The  Warbling  Vireo  rarely  arrives  in  numbers  before  the 
first  week  in  May  though  singing  males  are  occasionally  heard 
as  early  as  the  middle  of  April.  It  leaves  for  the  south  during 
the  first  two  weeks  of  September. 

During  migration  Warbling  Vireos  may  be  found  in  wooded 
places  in  every  part  of  the  county  but  in  summer  they  seem  to 
prefer  the  bluff  regions  and  neighboring  territory.  They  are 
heard  singing  during  the  nesting  season  about  Independence, 
Courtney,  Atherton  and  Sibley  and  in  the  Missouri  and  lower 
Blue  Valleys.  They  have  been  found  nesting  in  Fairmount 
Park. 

LANIVIREO  FLAVIPRONS  (Vieillot).    Yellow-throated  Vireo. 
Not  uncommon  summer  resident. 

The  Yellow-throated  Vireo  arrives  about  the  middle  of  April 
and  leaves  in  late  September.  This  vireo  loves  damp  woods  and 


Harris — Birds  of  the  Kansas  City  Region.  313 

prefers  thick  wooded  creek  bottoms  and  ravines  near  water.  It 
nests  regularly  in  Shilo  Hollow  at  the  edge  of  Swope  Park  and 
in  the  Plazel  Dell  neighborhood  within  the  Park.  It  is  most 
numerous  during  migration  in  the  Missouri  Valley  and  along 
the  bluffs. 

LANIVIREO  SOLTTARIUS  SOLITARIUS  (Wilson).    Blue-headed  Vireo. 

Not  uncommon  migrant. 

The  Solitary  Vireo  is  a  comparatively  late  visitor,  arriving 
during  the  last  few  days  in  April  or  the  first  week  in  May, 
often  remaining  till  the  last  of  May  (May  26,  1893,  May  15, 
1899,  May  18,  1915,  and  May  28,  1916,  latest).  It  leaves  for 
the  south  during  the  last  few  days  of  September.  It  is  seen 
regularly  along  Brush  Creek  in  the  Country  Club  district,  in 
the  Missouri  and  Blue  Valleys,  along  the  bluffs,  about  Inde- 
pendence and  in  Swope  Park. 

VIREO  GRISEUS  GRISEUS  (Boddaert).    White-eyed  Vireo. 
Fairly  common  summer  resident. 

The  White-eyed  Vireo  arrives  from  April  26th  to  May  4th 
and  leaves  during  the  second  and  third  weeks  of  September  at 
which  time  it  is  usually  in  full  song. 

The  nesting  period  begins  early  in  June.  It  is  found  in  the 
rich  undergrowth  of  timbered  places  near  streams  and  near  the 
edges  of  clearings.  It  breeds  in  such  places  over  the  entire 
county  but  is  more  numerous  in  the  Missouri  bottoms  and  along 
the  bluff  ravines  and  creeks.  Several  pairs  nest  regularly  in  and 
about  Swope  Park. 

VIREO  BELLI  BELLI  Audubon.    Bell's  Vireo. 
Fairly  common  summer  resident. 

The  Bell's  Vireo  was  made  known  to  science  by  Audubon 
who  met  with  it  for  the  first  time  in  the  bottom  lands  of  the 
Missouri  between  Fort  Leavenworth  and  St.  Joseph.  The  first 
specimen  was  shot  by  J.  G.  Bell,  a  member  of  Audubon 's  party, 
on  May  4,  1843.  The  Bell's  Vireo  and  the  Harris's  Sparrow  are 
the  two  birds  which  have  been  discovered  in  the  territory  cov- 
ered in  this  list. 

This  vireo  arrives  during  the  first  days  of  May,  seldom  be- 
fore the  third  (April  30,  1899,  April  27,  1900,  earliest),  and 
leaves  for  the  south  shortly  after  the  middle  of  September. 


314  Trans.  Acad.  Sci.  of  St.  Louis. 

This  species  is  not  so  closely  associated  with  thick  woods  as 
most  of  the  other  vireos  and  may  be  found  on  the  prairie  re- 
gions in  thickets,  hedges,  bushes  and  small  clumps  of  trees  or 
shrubbery.  It  nests  in  the  outskirts  of  the  city  and  may  be 
found  in  the  neighborhood  of  Swope  Park  as  well  as  other 
easily  accessible  places  further  west  and  south.  It  nests  early 
in  June. 

Family  MNIOTILTIDAE.     Wood  Warblers. 

MNIOTILTA  VARIA  (Linn.).    Black  and  White  Warbler. 
Common  migrant  and  rather  rare  summer  resident. 

The  Black  and  White  Warbler  arrives  from  the  15th  to  20th 
of  April  (April  11,  1915,  earliest)  and  is  very  common  in  the 
wooded  sections  of  the  county  until  the  middle  of  May.  From 
then  on  until  the  first  week  in  September  only  the  breeding 
birds  are  present.  During  the  first  two  weeks  of  September 
the  migrants  are  again  numerous. 

This  distinctively  marked  warbler  breeds  in  the  less  fre- 
quented sections  of  Swope  Park  where  it  has  been  observed  car- 
rying nesting  material  and  feeding  full  grown  young.  Unlike 
most  of  the  warblers  it  often  feeds  near  the  ground  on  the 
trunks  of  trees  and  among  low  bushes  and  is  easy  of  approach. 

During  the  spring  migration,  when  the  birds  are  mating, 
they  are  seen  in  numbers  in  wooded  territory  over  the  entire 
county,  particularly  in  Swope  Park. 

PROTHONOTARIA  CITREA   (Boddaert).     Prothonotary  Warbler. 
Common  summer  resident. 

The  Prothonotary  Warbler  arrives  irregularly  from  the  mid- 
dle to  last  of  April  (April  7,  earliest)  and  leaves  during  the 
first  half  of  September. 

It  nests  in  holes  and  cavities  and  prefers  to  be  near  water. 
It  breeds  along  the  Blue  in  the  Swope  Park  district  and  is  com- 
mon in  the  Missouri  bottom  timber  near  swampy  and  damp 
places.  Deserted  woodpecker  holes  in  standing  dead  trees  or 
stumps  are  favorite  nesting  sites. 

Great  numbers  migrate  up  and  down  the  Missouri  Valley. 

HELMITHEROS  VERMIVORUS  (Gmelin).     Worm-eating  Warbler. 
Not  uncommon  summer  resident. 

The  Worm-eating  Warbler  arrives  during  the  first  few  days 


Harris — Birds  of  the  Kansas  City  Region.  315 

in  May  and  leaves  early  in  September.  It  is  most  numerous 
during  the  second  week  in  May  when  the  bulk  of  the  migrants 
pass.  At  this  time  it  is  evenly  distributed  over  the  wooded 
sections  of  the  entire  county.  In  the  breeding  season  it  is 
found  only  about  rocky  ledges  bordering  thick  timber,  pre- 
ferably near  creek  bottoms  or  damp  ravines.  Such  conditions 
are  found  in  and  about  Swope  Park  where  the  dry  monotonous 
song  of  this  warbler  is  heard  regularly  during  summer.  This 
song  is  very  similar  to  that  of  the  Chipping  Sparrow  but  is  dis- 
tinguishable from  it  in  being  higher  pitched  and  more  rapid  in 
execution.  The  songs,  too,  are  never  heard  in  the  same  en- 
vironment. 

VERMIVORA  PINUS  (Linn.).    Blue-winged  Warbler. 
Rather  rare  summer  resident. 

The  Blue-winged  Warbler  arrives  during  the  last  days  of 
April  and  during  the  next  ten  days  northbound  migrants  are 
present  in  numbers  in  the  wooded  regions  of  the  county. 

Its  buzzing  notes  are  heard  all  summer  in  the  less  frequented 
woods  of  Swope  Park  where  it  seems  to  be  increasing  in  num- 
bers during  recent  years.  With  the  exception  of  some  of  the 
wilder  bluff  regions,  the  conditions  for  the  successful  raising 
of  its  young  are  more  favorable  in  Swope  Park  than  in  any 
other  region  of  the  county. 

VERMIVORA  CHRYSOPTERA  (Linn.).     Golden-winged  Warbler. 
Extremely  rare  migrant. 

Though  there  is  but  one  record  of  the  local  occurrence  of  this 
warbler  (May  9,  1889,  Bush)  it  is  not  considered  as  merely  acci- 
dental. It  migrates  regularly  through  the  eastern  part  of  the 
state  and  occurs  sparingly  south  of  this  district.  It  is  hoped 
that  students  may  be  able  to  secure  and  transmit  further  data 
regarding  this  species. 

VERMIVORA    RUBRIC APILLA    RUBRIC APILL A    (Wilson).      Nashville 
Warbler. 
Not  uncommon  migrant. 

The  Nashville  Warbler  arrives  from  April  25th  to  May  5th 
and  is  most  numerous  during  the  second  week  in  May.  The 
latest  spring  record  is  May  22,  1916,  which  is  an  extremely  late 
date.  The  returning  migrants  pass  through  during  the  last 
half  of  September. 


316  Trans.  Acad.  Sci.  of  St.  Louis. 

This  warbler  is  found  in  all  wooded  sections  of  the  county, 
including  the  southern  and  eastern  suburbs  of  the  city. 

VERMIVORA  CELATA  CELATA  (Say).    Orange-crowned  Warbler. 
Not  uncommon  migrant. 

'The  Orange-crowned  Warbler  arrives  during  the  last  week 
of  April  (April  17,  1916,  earliest)  and  is  present  until  the  mid- 
dle of  May  (May  20,  1916,  latest).  Its  passage  through  the 
county  is  never  marked  by  any  great  numbers.  The  earliest 
fall  arrivals  are  noted  about  the  middle  of  September  (Sept. 
14,  1903,  earliest)  and  individuals  are  present  until  the  middle 
of  October. 

On  account  of  the  lack  of  any  bold  markings  the  Orange- 
crowned  Warbler  is  difficult  to  distinguish  in  the  field  and  is 
often  overlooked.  It  frequents  low  thick  bushes  more  than 
other  species.  The  bird  may  generally  be  discovered  by  its 
song,  which  is  feeble  and  sounds  like  an  unsuccessful  effort  to 
keep  on  one  key.  It  may  be  looked  for  in  the  timbered  bottoms 
and  bluff  regions  of  the  Missouri  River  and  in  the  upper  Blue 
Valley  in  the  Swope  Park  and  Dodson  districts,  and  in  thickets 
even  in  the  residence  district  in  the  city. 

VERMIVORA  PEREGRINA  (Wilson).     Tennessee  Warbler. 
Very  common  migrant. 

With  the  possible  exception  of  the  Myrtle,  the  Tennessee 
Warbler  is  our  commonest  warbler.  The  birds  first  arrive  dur- 
ing the  last  few  days  of  April  and  become  most  numerous  during 
the  first  ten  days  of  May.  Stragglers  are  sometimes  seen  as 
late  as  May  25th  (1916,  three).  The  southward  movement  is 
noticeable  in  late  September  and  the  first  half  of  October. 

At  the  height  of  migration  the  nervous  staccato  song  of  this 
species  resounds  from  every  tree,  even  in  the  outer  residence 
section  of  the  city. 

COMPSOTHLYPIS  AMERICANA  USNEAE  Brewster.    Northern  Parula 

Warbler. 
Very  common  migrant  and  not  uncommon  summer  resident. 

The  Parula  Warbler  arrives  from  the  16th  to  28th  of  April 
and  leaves  during  the  last  half  of  September.  During  the  first 
week  or  ten  days  of  May  the  spring  migration  is  at  its  height 
and  the  tall  timber  of  the  bottom  lands  fairly  teems  with  these 
buzzing  and  persistent  songsters.  They  are  somewhat  gaudily 


Harris — Birds  of  the  Kansas  City  Region.  317 

marked  birds  but  are  difficult  to  see  as  they  feed  among  the 
dense  foliage  of  the  highest  tree  tops. 

They  breed  in  the  Missouri  and  Blue  Valleys  and  may  be 
commonly  found  in  Swope  Park  during  summer. 

One  form  of  the  song  of  this  species  is  similar  to  that  of  the 
Cerulean  Warbler  but  may  be  distinguished  by  a  difference  in 
the  opening  notes,  which  are  more  drawled  in  the  song  of  the 
Parula. 

DENDEOICA  TIGRINA  (Gmelin).     Cape  May  Warbler. 
Very  rare  migrant. 

The  only  known  records  of  the  occurrence  of  this  warbler  in 
this  vicinity  are  May  22,  1909,  May  11,  1911,  May  11,  1912  and 
April  26,  1915.  The  record  for  May  11,  1912,  was  made  over 
the  state  line  in  Johnson  County,  Kansas. 

DENDROICA  AESTIVA  AESTIVA  (G-melin).    Yellow  Warbler. 
Very  common  migrant  and  common  summer  resident. 

The  Yellow  Warbler  arrives  regularly  during  the  last  five  or 
six  days  of  April.  During  early  May  when  the  bulk  of  the 
migrants  are  present,  they  are  distributed  over  the  entire  county. 
This  species  is  most  numerous  in  the  Missouri  bottoms  between 
May  2nd  and  7th  when  it  may  be  said  to  fairly  swarm  in  the 
willow  thickets.  It  also  prefers  to  nest  in  the  bottom  lands  and 
in  the  wide  valleys  leading  into  these  regions.  It  has  never 
been  found  in  Swope  Park  in  summer  but  there  is  one  breeding 
record  for  the  lower  Brush  Creek  region  not  far  to  the  west. 

It  is  not  seen  in  this  county  after  the  first  week  or  ten  days 
in  September. 

[DENDROICA    CAERULESCENS    CAERULESCENS    (Gmelin).      Black- 
throated  Blue  Warbler.] 
Probable  migrant. 

This  warbler  has  been  reported  several  times  to  the  east  and 
west  of  this  district  but  there  is  no  known  instance  of  its  oc- 
currence in  the  immediate  vicinity.  Students  should  be  on  the 
lookout  for  this  distinctively  marked  species  during  migration 
times. 

DENDROICA  CORONATA  (Linn.).    Myrtle  Warbler. 
Very  common  migrant  and  rather  rare  winter  resident. 

During  favorable  winters  when  there  is  an  abundant  supply 


318  Trans.  Acad.  Sci.  of  St.  Louis. 

of  their  favorite  food,  the  fruit  of  the  poison  ivy,  at  least  a 
few  flocks  of  Myrtle  Warblers  are  present  in  the  thick  timbered 
sections  of  the  bluff  regions  and  bottom  lands.  In  some  win- 
ters, as  in  1914-15  and  1915-16,  these  birds  are  to  be  found  in 
noticeable  numbers  during  the  most  severe  weather  conditions. 

The  migrants  begin  arriving  from  the  16th  to  25th  of  March 
and  by  the  middle  of  April  are  present  in  large  numbers 
throughout  the  entire  county.  Very  few  are  seen  after  the 
first  week  in  May  though  an  occasional  straggler  lingers  until 
rather  late  in  the  month  (May  20,  1916,  latest). 

The  earliest  fall  birds  reach  here  from  September  27th  (1908, 
earliest)  to  late  in  the  first  week  of  October,  and  by  the  last  of 
the  month  the  migrants  are  gone  and  only  winter  numbers  are 
present. 

These  warblers  may  be  looked  for  during  migration  in  any 
wooded  place.  They  pass  through  Swope  Park  in  great  num- 
bers and  are  found  along  the  boulevards  and  about  lawn  shade 
trees.  They  are  restless  birds  but  often  feed  low  down  in  the 
trees  and  in  bushes  and  are  easy  of  approach. 

DENDROICA  MAGNOLIA  (Wilson).    Magnolia  Warbler. 
Regular  but  rather  uncommon  migrant. 

The  Magnolia  Warblers  pass  through  at  the  height  of  the 
spring  migration  between  the  llth  and  16th  of  May.  No  fall 
records  are  available  but  the  returning  migrants  should  be 
looked  for  during  the  second  and  third,  and  possibly  fourth, 
weeks  of  September.  They  may  be  found  in  the  tall  trees  along 
the  rivers  and  creeks,  and  even  in  the  hawthorn  and  crab 
thickets  of  the  outer  residence  districts. 

The  greatest  number  ever  noticed  in  one  year  was  on  May 
14,  1917,  when  more  than  ten  birds  were  seen  between  Inde- 
pendence and  Courtney  (Tindall). 

DENDROICA  CERULEA  (Wilson).     Cerulean  Warbler. 
Common  migrant  and  not  uncommon  .summer  resident. 

The  first  Cerulean  Warblers  are  usually  heard  on  May  1st, 
rarely  before  (April  29,  1900,  earliest),  and  sometimes  not  un- 
til the  last  days  of  the  first  week  of  May.  They  leave  early  for 
the  south,  not  being  seen  usually  after  late  August.  As  they 
haunt  the  tops  of  the  highest  trees  they  are  more  often  heard 


Harris — Birds  of  the  Kansas  City  Region.  319 

than  seen,  and  during  their  silence  after  the  breeding  season 
are  often  overlooked. 

They  are  to  be  looked  for  in  thick  bottom  timber.  Several 
pairs  nest  regularly  in  the  damp  woods  of  Shilo  Hollow  and 
Hazel  Dell,  in  Swope  Park.  They  also  breed  in  the  Missouri 
Valley. 

The  song  is  similar  to  one  form  of  the  Parula  Warbler's  song 
but  may  be  distinguished  by  its  opening,  which  consists  of  a 
series  of  double  notes  briskly  given.  The  two  are  often  heard 
together  in  the  woods  near  the  south  suspension  bridge  across 
the  Blue  River  in  Swope  Park. 

DENDROICA  PENSYLVANICA  (Linn.).    Chestnut-sided  Warbler. 
Very  rare  migrant. 

There  are  but  eight  available  records  of  the  occurrence  of 
this  warbler  in  Jackson  County.  It  was  observed  on  April  30th 
during  two  years  and  from  the  13th  to  20th  of  May  during  five 
others.  No  autumn  records  are  available. 

DENDROICA  CASTANEA  (Wilson).    Bay-breasted  Warbler. 
Very  rare  migrant. 

This  warbler  has  been  reported  as  rare  both  to  the  east  and 
west  of  this  district  and  there  is  but  a  single  local  record,  of 
ancient  origin  (Hoy).  Students  should  be  on  the  lookout  for 
further  records. 

DENDROICA  STRIATA  (J.  R.  Forster).    Black-poll  Warbler. 
Common  migrant. 

The  Black-poll  brings  up  the  rear  of  the  north-bound  warb- 
ler army  and  is  commonest  during  the  second  and  third  weeks 
of  May.  The  advance  guard  usually  arrives  between  the  2nd 
and  7th  of  May  though  in  favorable  seasons  it  may  arrive 
earlier  (April  27,  1900,  April  28,  1904,  April  29,  1915,  earliest). 
The  southward  flight  passes  during  September. 

The  Black-poll  Warblers  may  be  looked  for  in  all  wooded 
sections  of  the  c<  unty  and  in  the  park  cemeteries. 

DENDROICA  FUSCA  (Muller).    Blackburnian  Warbler. 
Rather  rare  migrant. 

Blackburnian  Warblers  appear  about  the  end  of  the  first 
week  in  May  and  are  rarely  seen  after  the  20th  (an  exception- 
ally late  date  is  May  30,  1904).  They  pass  through  on  the  re- 


320  Trans.  Acad.  Sci.  of  St.  Louis. 

turn  flight  from  the  10th  to  25th  of  September.  They  are  never 
numerous.  They  are  to  be  looked  for  in  wooded  places  beloved 
of  the  warblers.  Several  records  have  been  made  in  Swope 
Park. 

DENDROICA  DOMINICA  ALBILORA.     Sycamore  Warbler. 
Not  common  migrant;    probable  summer  resident. 

This  region  is  on  the  western  edge  of  the  range  of  the  Syca- 
more "Warbler,  and  though  it  is  a  regular  migrant  and  very 
possibly  a  more  or  less  regular  summer  resident,  it  has  not  been 
often  noted. 

This  warbler  is  one  of  the  first  to  appear  in  spring,  being 
preceeded  only  by  the  Myrtle  Warbler.  The  earliest  available 
record  is  April  7,  1918  (mouth  of  Indian  Creek). 

The  Syeamore  Warbler  is  a  frequenter  of  tall  trees  in  bottom 
land  along  water  courses.  It  is  difficult  to  see  in  the  tree  tops, 
but  is  distinctively  marked  and  has  a  very  characteristic  song, 
the  manner  of  delivery  of  which  recalls  the  Indigo  Bunting. 

DENDROICA  VIRENS   (Gmelin).     Black-throated  Green  Warbler. 
Not  common  migrant. 

The  Black-throated  Green  Warbler  is  present  during  the  first 
three  weeks  of  May  and  during  all  of  September.  It  is  never 
present  in  very  great  numbers. 

It  may  be  looked  for  in  the  wilder  parts  of  Swope  Park,  in 
the  Dodson  region  and  in  the  timber  of  the  Missouri  and  Blue 
Valleys. 

DENDROICA  VIGORSI  (Audubon).    Pine  Warbler. 
Regular  but  not  common  fall  migrant. 

The  Pine  Warbler  is  regularly  seen  here  between  September 
3rd  and  October  16th,  during  which  time  it  is  often  in  full  song. 
It  is  given  as  a  fall  migrant  only  as  it  has  never  been  observed 
here  in  spring.  This  is  perhaps  merely  an  oversight  as  it  mi- 
grates north  through  /eastern  Kansas  and  eastern  Missouri. 
Students  should  be  on  the  lookout  for  this  bird  in  the  spring  in 
the  hope  of  establishing  a  new  record. 

Some  recent  records  are:  Sept.  3,  9  and  10,  1914  (singing), 
Sept.  9,  14,  and  15,  1915  (singing),  Sept.  10,  1916,  and  Oct. 
16,  1916. 


Harris — Birds  of  the  Kansas  City  Region.  321 

DENDROICA  PALMARUM  PALM  ARUM  (Gmelin).    Palm  Warbler. 

Regular  but  not  numerous  migrant. 

The  Palm  Warbler  arrives  from  April  27th  to  May  7th  but  is 
never  very  numerous.  It  passes  through  on  the  southward 
flight  between  the  5th  and  llth  of  October. 

Usually  single  birds  are  seen,  though  sometimes  they  occur 
in  small  troops  of  twos  and  threes.  They  may  be  looked  for  in 
the  timber  of  the  Missouri  and  Blue  Valleys  and  in  Swope 
Park. 

DENDROICA  DISCOLOR  (Vieillot).    Prairie  Warbler. 
Occasional. 

There  is  but  one  known  record  of  the  occurrence  here  of  the 
Prairie  Warbler — May  6,  1911,  near  Dodson. 

SEIURUS  AUROCAPILLUS  (Linn.).    Oven-bird. 

Common  migrant  and  rather  rare  summer  resident. 

The  Oven-bird  arrives  during  the  last  week  of  April  and  in- 
creases in  numbers  in  the  first  week  of  May.  At  this  time  it 
may  be  looked  for  in  all  thickly  wooded  places  over  the  county, 
especially  in  the  bluff  and  bottom  regions  and  in  such  places  as 
the  upper  Blue  Valley.  The  migrants  are  again  present  during 
September. 

The  only  places  in  the  county  where  this  warbler  is  known  to 
breed  are  a  few  wild  sections  of  the  bluff  regions,  as  near  Sib- 
ley,  and  on  the  dry  wooded  ridge  in  Swope  Park  south  of  Hazel 
Dell.  In  the  latter  place  the  songs  of  the  Ovenbird  and  Ken- 
tucky Warbler,  which  are  very  similar,  may  be  heard  together. 

SEIURUS  NOVEBORACENSIS  NOTABiLis  Ridgway.   Grinnell's  Water- 
Thrush. 
Not  rare  migrant. 

This  northwestern  form  of  the  Water-Thrush  passes  through 
this  region  regularly  during  the  first  half  of  May  (April  29, 
1917,  earliest;  May  15,  1916,  latest)  and  during  September. 

It  is  to  be  looked  for  either  in  the  same  kind  of  territory  as 
that  frequented  by  the  southern  species,  which  is  the  breeding 
form  for  this  region,  or  in  swampy  places  in  woods.  With  the 
aid  of  glasses  the  two  forms  are  readily  distinguishable  in  the 
field  and  may  be  further  identified  by  their  noticeably  different 
songs. 

The  Grinnell's  Water-Thrush  is  a  regular  migrant  through 


322  Trans.  Acad.  Sci.  of  St.  Louis. 

Swope  Park.    It  has  been  observed  at  close  range  in  the  small 
swamp  in  the  woods  near  the  Swope  rifle  range. 

SEIURUS  MOTACILLA  (Vieillot).    Louisiana  "Water-Thrush. 
Common  migrant  and  not  uncommon  summer  resident. 

Our  earliest  arrival  date  for  this  warbler  is  April  1,  1905, 
though  the  average  is  ten  days  or  two  weeks  later.  During  the 
first  week  in  May  numbers  of  migrants  are  found  along  the 
streams,  especially  along  the  banks  of  the  Missouri  Eiver  in  the 
willow  thickets  and  other  dense  growths  standing  on  high  cut- 
ting banks.  The  fall  migratory  flight  passes  through  in  Sep- 
tember. 

These  warblers  breed  not  uncommonly  in  the  ravines  and 
creek  bottoms  of  the  bluff  regions  and  in  the  valleys  of  the  Big 
and  Little  Blue.  They  nest  also  in  favorable  places  in  and 
about  Swope  Park. 

OPORORNIS  FORMOSUS  (Wilson).    Kentucky  Warbler. 
Rather  common  summer  resident. 

The  Kentucky  Warbler  arrives  during  the  first  week  of  May, 
though  occasionally  earlier  (April  30,  1899,  April  29,  1900, 
April  29,  1917),  and  leaves  late  in  September.  It  nests  in  the 
deep  woods  of  the  Missouri  Valley  and  in  the  thick  undergrowth 
along  the  wooded  creek  bottoms  of  the  higher  regions.  It  is 
fairly  common  as  a  breeder  in  certain  favorable  sections  of 
Swope  Park  and  the  upper  Blue  Valley.  Three  pairs  nested 
in  Shilo  Hollow  during  the  summer  of  1917  and  had  not  left 
their  breeding  stands  on  September  3rd.  Bush  states  that  tjiey 
nest  in  the  coarse  grass  and  sedge  along  swamps  and  sloughs  in 
the  Courtney  district. 

OPORORNIS  AGILIS  (Wilson).     Connecticut  Warbler. 
Very  rare  migrant. 

Only  two  local  records  of  this  warbler  are  available.  One 
was  seen  near  Independence  on  May  12,  1914.  On  May  15, 
1916,  one  was  observed  at  close  range  in  the  Country  Club  re- 
gion and  was  heard  to  sing  repeatedly.  It  was  feeding  in  a 
clump  of  Buckberry  bushes  under  large  trees  from  which  it 
sang  as  it  did  also  from  a  small  thorn  tree  and  from  the  ground. 
The  song  was  loud  and  clear  and  Carolina  Wren-like  and  may  be 
transcribed  as  Wee-chipper,  Wee-chipper,  Wee-chipper,  Chip 
(Hoffmann). 


Harris — Birds  of  the  Kansas  City  Region. 

OPORORNIS  PHILADELPHIA  (Wilson).    Mourning  Warbler. 
Regular  but  not  numerous  migrant. 

The  ten  available  records  of  the  local  occurrence  of  this 
warbler  are  between  May  13th  and  23rd.  They  have  been  noted 
in  the  Missouri  bottoms  and  bluff  timber,  in  Swope  Park,  and 
in  the  Country  Club  region.  Their  presence  here  on  the  return 
flight  has  thus  far  been  overlooked. 

GEOTHLYPIS  TRICHAS  TRICHAS  (Linn.).   Maryland  Yellow- throat. 

Very  common  summer  resident. 

The  Yellow-throats  arrive  regularly  between  the  23rd  and 
29th  of  April  (April  19,  1914,  only  earlier  date).  These  early 
arrivals  announce  their  presence  first  from  the  bottom  lands,  but 
are  soon  scattered  over  the  uplands  as  well.  From  May  5th  to 
10th  the  greatest  numbers  are  present  in  the  willow  thickets 
along  the  Missouri  River. 

The  breeding  birds  are  evenly  distributed  over  the  county 
and  may  be  looked  for  along  all  water  courses,  even  ditches,  and 
in  any  damp  woods  or  low  bushy  places.  They  nest  within  the 
city  in  Swope  Park,  along  the  Blue  and  Brush  Creek  Valleys, 
in  the  Country  Club  and  Rockhill  regions,  in  the  cemeteries  and 
along  Cliff  Drive.  They  nest  about  the  middle  of  May  and  lay 
from  four  to  six  eggs. 

The  fall  migration  begins  during  the  first  days  of  September 
and  continues  through  the  month,  very  few  birds  being  seen 
during  the  last  week. 

ICTERIA  VIRENS  viRENS  (Linn. ) .    Yellow-breasted  Chat. 
Common  summer  resident. 

Like  several  of  the  warblers,  the  earliest  Chats  are  to  be 
looked  for  in  the  thick  tangles  of  the  Missouri  bottoms  where 
the  bulk  of  the  migrants  pass.  These  forerunners  appear  regu- 
larly between  the  24th  and  29th  of  April.  By  the  5th  to  10th 
of  May  the  crest  of  the  migration  wave  is  passing. 

This  warbler  inhabits  thickets,  briar  tangles,  bushy  ravines, 
second-growth  timber,  burnt-over  hillsides  and  all  kinds  of 
brushy  undergrowths.  Three  to  six  eggs  are  laid  late  in  May. 

The  Chat  is  something  of  a  skulker,  but  is  occasionally  caught 
at  his  clownish  antics.  A  good  place  to  hear  the  indescribable 
song  of  this  species  is  in  the  neighborhood  of  the  rifie  range 
meadow  in  Swope  Park. 


324  Trans.  Acad.  Sci.  of  St.  Louis. 

The  Chats  disappear  from  their  breeding  stations  early  in 
August  (August  4,  1904,  family  party)  and  the  fall  migration 
is  not  noticeable,  as  the  birds  are  then  silent  and  secretive. 

WILSONIA  CITRINA  (Boddaert).    Hooded  Warbler. 
Rare  visitant  and  possible  occasional  breeder. 

The  few  local  records  of  this  warbler  are,  with  one  exception, 
from  the  timbered  regions  of  the  Missouri  bottoms  and  are  be- 
tween the  8th  and  25th  of  May.  On  May  25,  1916,  a  pair  seen 
near  Independence  may  have  been  breeding. 

WILSONIA  PUSILLA  PUSILLA  (Wilson).    Wilson's  Warbler. 
Not  uncommon  migrant. 

The  Wilson's  Warbler  is  present  from  May  1st  to  20th  and 
again  during  the  first  week  or  ten  days  of  September.  It  seems 
to  prefer  the  upland  wooded  regions,  since  there  are  but  three 
records  from  the  bottom  lands.  It  passes  through  regularly  on 
both  spring  and  autumn  migration,  but  is  never  present  in  very 
great  numbers. 

WILSONIA  PUSILLA  PILEOLATA  (Pallas).     Pileolated  Warbler. 
Occasional  migrant. 

Only  one  Pileolated  Warbler  has  been  taken  in  the  county; 
near  Independence  (Ridgway,  Birds  of  North  and  Middle  Amer- 
ica, U.  S.  N.  M.  Bull.  No.  50,  Vol.  2,  p.  712).  A  specimen  was 
taken  by  Bunker  and  Wetmore  near  Lawrence,  Kansas,  on  Octo- 
ber 17,  1908. 

WILSONIA  CANADENSIS  (Linn.).     Canada  Warbler. 
Rare  and  irregular  migrant. 

During  some  years  a  few  of  these  warblers  pass  this  way  and 
during  others  none  are  seen.  Their  nearest  regular  migration 
route,  where  they  pass  in  great  numbers,  is  the  valley  of  the 
Mississippi  River.  The  latest  record  for  this  species  is  one  bird 
seen  on  May  13,  1916. 

SETOPHAGA  RUTICILLA  (Linn.).    Redstart. 

Very  common  migrant  and  fairly  common  summer  resident. 

Redstarts  arrive  from  the  25th  to  30th  of  April  and  leave 
during  September.  In  early  May,  when  the  migrants  are  most 
numerous,  they  are  present  in  all  parts  of  the  county  in  wooded 
places  and  may  be  looked  for  in  all  the  city  parks  and  along  the 


Harris — Birds  of  the  Kansas  City  Region.  325 

boulevards.  During  the  breeding  season  they  resort  to  damp 
woods  and  timbered  creek  bottoms  and  are  then  fairly  common 
in  Swope  Park,  the  upper  Blue  Valley,  the  Missouri  bottoms  and 
bluffs  and  many  other  like  places.  Three  to  four  eggs  are  laid 
in  early  June. 

Family  MOTACILLIDAE.     Wagtails. 

ANTIIUS  RUBESCENS  (Tunstall).    Pipit. 
Fairly  common  migrant. 

The  fall  migration  of  Pipits  is  more  noticeable  than  the  ver- 
nal passage,  since  the  flocks  are  much  larger  and  remain  in  one 
place  for  a  longer  period.  They  arrive  from  the  north  in  flocks 
of  often  several  hundreds  during  early  October  (Sept.  30.  1897, 
earliest)  and  are  present  in  some  years  till  November  22  (1914). 
The  greatest  numbers  are  present  from  the  13th  to  30th  of 
October. 

Pipits  frequent  bottom  clearings,  grass  and  alfalfa  fields  and 
open  spaces  at  the  edges  of  willow  thickets  where  the  ground 
vegetation  is  scant.  They  also  feed  about  the  banks  of  ponds 
and  in  barnyards  and  burnt-over  places  on  the  prairie  regions. 
At  one  farm  pond  where  the  surrounding  spaces  are  favorable 
feeding  grounds,  a  flock  of  about  two  hundred  Pipits  arrived 
on  October  20,  1916,  and  remained  until  November  10th. 

The  spring  migration  begins  about  March  29th  and  is  over 
by  May  2nd  (1915,  latest  date). 

Pipits  may  be  looked  for  in  the  open  districts  of  the  Mis- 
souri bottoms  and  in  favorable  places  on  the  prairie  regions. 
They  have  been  observed  in  the  neighborhood  of  Swope  Park 
and  about  Dodson. 

ANTHUS  SPBAGUEI   (Audubon).     Sprague's  Pipit. 
Rare  migrant. 

Only  two  known  specimens  of  this  form  have  been  taken.  The 
Sprague  's  Pipit  is  given  by  Bunker  as  a  rare  migrant  in  eastern 
Kansas.  It  may  occur  regularly  in  large  flocks  of  the  preceding 
species. 

Family  MIMIDAE.     Thrashers,  Mockingbirds,  etc. 

MIMUS  POLYGLOTTOS  POLYGLOTTOS   (Linn.).     Mockingbird. 

Fairly  common  summer  resident;  somewhat  rare  and  irregular  win- 
ter resident. 

As  a  winter  resident  the  Mockingbird  is  irregular  or  has 


326  Trans.  Acad.  Sci.  of  St.  Louis. 

escaped  notice  during  some  winters.  It  has  been  observed  in 
December,  January  or  February  of  1898,  1904,  1906,  1907,  1910, 
1916  and  1917. 

It  appears  at  its  breeding  station  very  irregularly  from  March 
1st  to  April  10th  and  leaves  usually  in  early  August,  sometimes 
later. 

The  Mockingbird  prefers  the  neighborhood  of  man  and  since 
the  improving  of  the  Rockhill  and  Country  Club  regions  and 
Swope  Park  it  has  greatly  increased  within  the  city.  It  nests 
in  these  districts  as  well  as  in  the  cemeteries,  the  Marlborough 
neighborhood,  and  about  Dodson  and  Independence.  Four  eggs 
are  laid  in  early  June.  More  than  one  brood  is  raised,  young 
birds  having  been  found  as  late  as  September  4th  (1913). 

DUMETELLA  CAROLiNENsis  (Linn.).     Catbird. 
Very  common  summer  resident. 

The  first  Catbirds  are  seen  between  April  25th  and  May  2nd 
(April  19,  1903,  earliest).  Great  throngs  of  migrants  are  pres- 
ent between  the  5th  and  9th  of  May  in  the  willows  of  the  Mis- 
souri bottoms.  They  leave  about  the  middle  of  September,  and 
from  the  17th  to  20th  of  the  month  the  willows  again  swarm  with 
migrants.  Only  an  occasional  straggler  is  seen  after  the  first 
day  of  October. 

This  familiar  bird  is  a  common  breeder  within  the  city  wher- 
ever there  is  thick  shrubbery  or  bushy  cover.  Like  the  Mocker, 
it  takes  kindly  to  the  protection  of  man  and,  though  a  somewhat 
shy  bird,  it  is  noticeably  on  the  increase.  Four  or  five  eggs  are 
laid  during  the  middle  of  May  and  later  another  nest  is  built 
and  at  least  one  more  brood  raised. 

TOXOSTOMA  RUPUM   (Linn.).     Brown  Thrasher. 
Very  common  summer  resident. 

The  first  of  the  migrating  Brown  Thrashers  arrive  from  the 
1st  to  the  6th  of  April,  though  occasionally  single  birds  are 
seen  much  earlier  (Feb.  28,  1904;  March  26,  1905;  March  26, 
1914).  The  local  birds  arrive  on  their  breeding  stands  and 
begin  singing  from  the  10th  to  15th  of  April.  They  leave  dur- 
ing the  last  half  of  September  and  none  are  seen  after  the  last 
few  days  of  the  month.  They  breed  freely  within  the  city  in 
the  same  districts  and  in  the  same  kind  of  brushy  cover  as  the 
Catbird.  The  two  species  do  not  nest  close  together,  however, 
as  they  are  mortal  enemies  during  the  breeding  season  and 


Harris — Birds  of  the  Kansas  City  Region.  327 

have  been  known  to  battle  to  the  death  over  a  disputed  nesting 
site. 

Pour  or  five  eggs  are  laid  in  late  April  and  three  broods  are 
often  raised. 

Family  TROGLODYTIDAE.    Wrens. 

THRYOTHORUS  LUDOVICIANUS  LUDOVICIANUS  (Latham).    Carolina 

Wren. 
Common  resident. 

The  Carolina  Wren  is  present  during  the  entire  year  and  is 
one  of  the  few  winter  songsters.  It  is  to  be  looked  for  in  any 
kind  of  wooded  territory  and  is  common  in  the  Swope  Park 
district,  in  the  Blue  Valley  and  Brush  Creek  woods  and  in  all 
the  wilder  sections  of  the  county. 

It  nests  among  overhanging  roots  along  creeks  and  ravines 
or  in  holes  in  the  banks.  One  nest  was  found  by  Tindall  in  a 
wagon  bridge  near  Independence.  Five  to  seven  eggs  are  laid 
in  early  May  and  more  than  one  brood  is  raised.  One  nest  was 
found  on  August  15,  1901,  containing  three  fresh  eggs  (Tin- 
dall). 

THRYOMANES  BEWICKI  BEWICKI  (Audubon).    Bewick's  Wren. 
Very  rare  visitant  or  summer  resident. 

This  wren  is  slowly  extending  its  range  northward  and  has 
probably  already  reached  the  extreme  south  and  east  borders 
of  the  county,  as  it  has  been  regularly  seen  in  the  adjoining 
county  (Johnson)  since  1907.  Since  its  arrival  in  the  latter 
district  it  has  established  itself  as  a  breeder  and  has  become 
noticeably  less  rare.  Smithson  states  that  he  has  seen  as  many 
as  six  in  one  morning  at  Warrensburg  and  has  several  times 
seen  them  carrying  nesting  material. 

The  Bewick's  Wren  is  a  much  more  desirable  neighbor  than 
the  House  Wren,  as  its  beautiful  song  has  none  of  the  harsh 
and  penetrating  and,  to  some,  disagreeable  qualities  of  that 
bird.  It  is  also  more  beautiful,  graceful  and  less  quarrelsome 
than  the  House  Wren. 

TROGLODYTES  AEDON  PARKMANI  Audubon.    Western  House  Wren. 
Very  common  summer  resident. 

Impatient  House  Wrens  have  been  seen  here  as  early  as  March 
15th  (1903)  and  several  times  between  the  1st  and  10th  of 
April.  During  some  years  they  arrive  between  the  15th  and 


328  Trans.  Acad.  Sci.  of  St.  Louis. 

21st  of  April,  the  bulk  of  the  migrants  passing  between  the  5th 
and  8th  of  May,  at  which  time  they  swarm  in  the  willows  of 
the  Missouri  bottoms.  They  leave  during  early  September  and  are 
rarely  seen  after  the  middle  of  the  month.  Some  exceptionally 
late  dates  are  as  follows :— Oct.  6,  1901 ;  Oct.  15,  1911 ;  Oct.  15, 
1916,  and  Nov.  7,  1916. 

This  wren  nests  in  birdhouses,  in  crevices  about  buildings, 
in  the  pockets  of  discarded  garments,  in  tin  cans  and  in  other 
similar  situations  too  numerous  to  list.  It  also  nests  in  the 
deep  woods  of  the  bottom  lands  and  other  wild  places  in  nat- 
ural  cavities  in  trees  and  deserted  woodpecker  holes.  Five  to 
seven  eggs  are  laid  in  May. 

NANNUS  HIEMALIS  HIEMALIS  (Vieillot).    Winter  Wren. 
Irregular  but  not  uncommon  winter  resident. 

During  those  winters  when  the  Winter  Wren  is  present  it 
may  be  looked  for  in  timbered  creek  bottoms,  ravines,  thick 
brushy  places  and  weedy  roadsides.  It  is  to  be  found  in  the 
thick  cover  of  the  Missouri  bottoms  and  bluffs  and  in  Swope 
Park  and  the  Dodson  region.  During  some  winters  it  is  fairly 
common  and  in  others  is  either  absent  or  present  in  very  few 
numbers.  Our  records  covering  a  period  of  about  twenty  years 
show  that  it  is  present  from  September  30  (1906,  earliest)  to 
April  19  (1908,  latest),  being  commonest  during  the  first  half 
of  October. 

CISTOTHORUS  STELLARIS  (Naumann).     Short-billed  Marsh  Wren. 
Rather  uncommon  migrant  and  probable  summer  resident. 

This  wren  is  seen  most  often  in  the  Missouri  bottoms  about 
sloughs  and  grassy  swamps.  It  has  also  been  noted  on  the  prai- 
rie regions  and  in  the  upper  Blue  Valley. 

All  available  local  records  show  its  presence  here  during  April 
and  in  September  and  early  October.  Students  should  be  on 
the  lookout  for  breeding  records,  as  both  Marsh  Wrens  have 
been  found  nesting  in  the  swamps  of  the  up-river  counties. 

TELMATODYTES    PALUSTRIS    ILIACUS    Ridgway.      Prairie    Marsh 

Wren. 
Rather  uncommon  migrant  and  summer  resident. 

This  wren  is  present  from  the  middle  of  April  till  early  in 
May  (in  Jackson  County)  and  again  during  late  September 
and  October.  It  occurs  most  commonly  in  the  Missouri  bot- 


Harris — Birds  of  the  Kansas  City  Region.  329 

toms,  but  has  been  seen  at  Lake  City  and  other  marshy  places 
on  the  uplands. 

It  breeds  in  the  cat-tail  swamps  of  the  river  lakes  in  nearby 
counties,  but  the  nest  has  not  been  taken  in  Jackson  County. 

Family  CERTHIIDAE.     Creepers. 

CERTHIA  FAMILIARIS  AMERICANA  Bonaparte.     Brown  Creeper. 
Common  winter  resident. 

Regularly  on  October  8th,  9th  or  10th  the  first  Brown  Creep- 
ers may  be  expected  from  the  north,  remaining  until  from  the 
10th  to  20th  of  April.  They  are  most  numerous  during  the 
second  and  third  weeks  of  October  and  in  the  first  week  of  April. 
During  migration  they  are  distributed  over  the  entire  county 
wherever  there  are  trees.  In  winter  they  seem  to  prefer  the 
woods  bordering  the  prarie  regions,  though  they  are  common 
on  the  bluffs  and  in  the  bottom  timber,  especially  in  the  large 
timber  of  the  Indian  Creek  Valley.  During  the  latter  period 
of  their  stay  they  are  sometimes  heard  in  full  song. 

Family  SITTIDAE.     Nuthatches. 

SITTA  CAROLINENSIS  CAROLiNENSis  Latham.    White-breasted  Nut- 
hatch. 
Not  uncommon  resident. 

The  White-breasted  Nuthatch  is  present  during  the  entire 
year  in  the  wooded  sections  of  the  county.  In  winter  it  is  a 
not  infrequent  visitor  within  the  city,  where  it  hunts  for  insect 
food  on  the  trunks  of  the  shade  trees.  During  the  breeding  sea- 
son it  retires  to  the  deeper  woods  to  nest  in  cavities  in  trees. 
Six  to  nine  eggs  are  laid  in  late  April. 

Its  peculiar  grunting  notes  are  familiar  sounds  in  the  winter 
woods. 

SITTA  CANADENSIS  Linn.     Red-breasted  Nuthatch. 
Not  uncommon  migrant. 

This  small  nuthatch  is  present  in  varying  numbers  from  the 
first  few  days  of  October  (September  30,  1906,  earliest)  to  about 
the  middle  of  January  (January  18,  1913,  latest),  and  again 
from  the  middle  of  March  (March  14,  1914,  earliest)  to  the 
first  week  of  May  (May  5,  1917,  latest).  It  is  to  be  looked  for 
in  the  same  kind  of  wooded  places  as  the  preceding  species  and, 


330  Trans.  Acad.  Sci.  of  St.  Louis. 

like  it,  is  sometimes  seen  along  the  city  streets.  It  has  been 
noted  rather  regularly  in  Swope  Park,  in  the  Country  Club  re- 
gion, in  the  cemeteries  and  about  Dodson  and  Independence. 

The  Red-breasted  Nuthatch  has  been  noticed  feeding  on  the 
seeds  of  the  large  ragweed,  Ambrosia'  trifida,  which  it  carries  to 
fence  posts  and  hammers  open  in  the  cracks  in  the  timber. 

Family  PARIDAE.    Titmice. 

BAEOLOPHUS  BICOLOR  (Linn.).     Tufted  Titmouse. 
Very  common  resident. 

The  monotonous  call  of  the  Tifted  Tit  is  a  familar  sound  in 
the  woods  during  the  entire  year  except  in  the  breeding  season. 
Owing  to  their  numbers  and  sprightly  behavior  and  their  con- 
tinual calling  and  answering,  they  are  one  of  the  most  conspicu- 
ous birds  of  the  winter  woods. 

They  nest  commonly  in  the  outlying  districts  of  the  city  in 
bird-boxes,  old  woodpecker  holes  and  other  cavities,  and  are 
also  found  in  wooded  tracts  in  all  parts  of  the  county.  Six  to 
eight  eggs  are  laid  late  in  April  and  early  May. 

PENTHESTES  ATRICAPILLUS  ATRICAPILLUS  (Linn.).     Chickadee. 
Very  common  resident. 

The  Chickadee,  like  its  relative,  the  Tufted  Titmouse,  is  pres- 
ent throughout  the  year  and  is  evenly  distributed  over  the  en- 
tire county.  It  is  probably  more  numerous  than  the  latter  and 
comes  into  the  city  to  feed  during  winter  in  greater  numbers. 

It  nests  in  cavities,  sometimes  excavated  by  itself  at  the  ex- 
pense of  no  little  labor,  and  lays  from  five  to  seven,  rarely  eight, 
eggs  in  early  April. 

PENTHESTES   ATRICAPILLUS   SEPTENTRIONALIS    (Harris).      Long- 
tailed  Chickadee. 
Somewhat  rare  winter  visitant  and  probably  rare  resident. 

A  few  counties  to  the  north,  as  well  as  twenty  or  thirty  miles 
to  the  west,  this  form  is  the  common  Chickadee.  The  few  local 
records  are  mostly  in  winter  and  indicate  a  partial  migratory 
movement  of  these  neighboring  birds.  Bush  reports  that  a  few 
are  seen  in  the  bottoms  in  the  Courtney  district  during  the 
entire  year  and  that  he  considers  the  bird  a  regular  breeder. 
The  local  records  are  chiefly  from  the  Missouri  bottoms. 


Harris — Birds  of  the  Kansas  City  Region.  331 

Family  SYLVIIDAE.    Kinglets  and  Gnatcatchers. 
Subfamily  Regulinae.    Kinglets. 

REGULUS  SATRAPA  SATRAPA  Lichtenstein.  Golden-crowned  King- 
let. 

Common  migrant  and  not  uncommon  winter  resident. 

Wintering  Golden-crowned  Kinglets  may  be  found  in  the 
wooded  bluff  and  bottom  regions,  in  the  cemeteries,  in  the  tim- 
ber along  the  Blue  and  Brush  Creek,  in  the  parks  and  in  wooded 
places  at  the  edges  of  the  prairie  country.  They  arrive  from 
the  north  usually  between  the  5th  and  10th  of  October  (Sept. 
24,  1904,  and  Sept.  3,  1906,  the  latter  a  very  exceptionally  early 
date)  and  the  bulk  of  the  migrants  are  present  during  the  sec- 
ond and  third  weeks  of  the  month.  The  spring  movement  is 
noticeable  during  the  first  three  weeks  of  April,  when  great 
numbers  of  these  tiny  birds  pass  through  the  city.  None  have 
been  noted  later  than  April  26th. 

REGULUS  CALENDULA  CALENDULA   (Linn.). 

CORTHYLIO     CALENDULA     CALENDULA     (Linn.).        Proposed     1917. 

Ruby-crowned  Kinglet. 
Common  migrant. 

The  latest  fall  records  for  the  Ruby-crowned  Kinglet  are  De- 
cember 24  and  25,  1916,  when  a  small  troop  was  seen  in  the 
Missouri  bottom  timber.  These  birds  probably  did  not  remain 
throughout  the  later  cold  periods  of  the  winter,  but  moved  on 
further  south.  They  arrive  in  the  spring  with  the  Golden 
crowns,  but  remain  later, .  stragglers  having  been  noted  as  late 
as  past  the  middle  of  May  (May  18,  1905,  and  May  17,  1916) 
and  fairly  regularly  during  the  first  week  of  the  month.  Fall 
dates  are  about  the  same  as  for  the  other  kinglet. 

They  frequent  timbered  places  and  are  to  be  looked  for  in 
the  same  localities  as  tLe  Golden-crowns.  In  migration  they  are 
common  in  the  trees  and  thickets  of  the  outlying  residence  dis- 
tricts. 

Subfamily  Polioptilinae.     Gnatcatchers. 

POLIOPTILLA    CAERULEA    CAERULEA    (Dinn.).      Blue-gray    Gnat- 
catcher. 
Common  migrant  and  not  rare  summer  resident. 

The   Gnatcatchers   arrive   from   the   llth   to   20th   of  April 


332  Trans.  Acad.  Sci.  of  St.  Louis. 

(March  30,  1913,  exceptionally  early)  and  leaves  from  the  mid- 
dle to  last  of  August.  It  nests  during  the  middle  of  May ;  four 
or  five  eggs  are  laid.  The  nest  is  one  of  the  most  wonderful 
examples  of  bird  workmanship  known.  It  is  an  exquisitely 
formed  cup,  rather  deep,  composed  of  down  from  buds,  bits  of 
fine  twigs  and  leafy  material  woven  together  with  spider  webs 
and  thickly  covered  over  with  delicate  bits  of  lichens.  It  is 
saddled  on  branches  or  between  the  forks  of  horizontal  limbs 
like  the  nest  of  the  Hummingbird  and  is  usually  from  twenty 
to  thirty  feet  from  the  ground.  Favorite  nesting  sites  are  dry 
ledges  or  hillsides  grown  over  with  oak. 

Gnatcatchers  may  be  found  in  the  bluff  regions,  in  Swope  Park 
and  vicinity,  and  around  Independence  and  Dodson. 

Family  TURDIDAE.     Thrushes,  Solitaries,  Stonechats, 
Bluebirds,  etc. 

Subfamily  Turdinae.    Thrushes. 

HYLOCICHLA  MUSTELINA  (Gmelin).    Wood  Thrush. 

Very  common  summer  resident. 

The  Wood  Thrush  is  the  favorite  songbird  of  most  bird  lovers, 
especially  those  who  have  not  heard  the  Hermit  Thrush.  It 
arrives  from  the  23rd  to  28th  of  April  and  leaves  during  the 
second  and  third  weeks  of  September. 

It  nests  during  the  middle  of  May  in  damp  woods  and  tim- 
bered creek  bottoms  and  ravines,  and  comes  into  the  city  freely 
to  breed.  'Some  places  in  town  where  it  nests  regularly  are 
Penn  Valley  Park,  Karnes  Boulevard,  36th  and  Gillham,  Ar- 
mour and  Paseo  ,(a  most  unusual  place),  46th  and  Gillham, 
Rockhill  and  Country  Club  regions,  Swope  Park  and  all  the 
cemeteries. 

HYLOCICHLA  PUSCESCENS  SALICICOLA  Ridgway.    Willow  Thrush. 
Regular  but  rather  rare  migrant. 

This  subspecifie  form  of  the  Veery  is  seen  regularly  during 
migration,  but  is  never  common.  The  spring  records  are  be- 
tween the  4th  and  23rd  of  May:  the  fall  records  between  Sep- 
tember 10th  and  October  14th.  It  may  be  looked  for  in  any 
wooded  section  of  the  county,  high  or  low. 

HYLOCICHLA  ALICIAE  ALICIAE  (Baird).     Gray-cheeked  Thrush. 
Fairly  common  migrant. 

The  Gray-cheeked  Thrush  is  present  in  all  wooded  sections 


Harris — Birds  of  the  Kansas  City  Region.  333 

of  the  county,  especially  in  the  bluff  and  bottom  regions,  be- 
tween the  1st  and  20th  of  May  and  in  late  September.  It  is 
noted  regularly  in  Swope  Park  and  the  upper  Blue  Valley  and 
in  the  timbered  sections  of  the  Country  Club  district. 

This  Thrush  frequently  sings  in  the  period  of  migration,  par- 
ticularly toward  the  end  of  its  stay,  but  in  very  subdued  tones. 

HYLOCICHLA    USTULATA    SWAINSONI     (Tschudi).      Olive-backed 

Thrush. 
Common  migrant. 

This  species  is  often  in  full  song  during  the  latter  days  of 
its  spring  passage.  It  arrives  during  the  first  week  of  May,  be- 
coming more  numerous  from  the  10th  to  20th.  At  this  time  it 
may  be  looked  for  in  all  wooded  regions,  especially  in  the  river 
and  creek  bottoms.  Stragglers  have  been  noted  during  the  last 
days  of  May  and  there  is  one  record  of  a  singing  male  in  Swope 
Park  on  June  7,  1916  (Shirling).  The  species  is  again  present 
during  the  last  half  of  September. 

HYLOCICHLA  GUTTATA  PALLASI  (Cabanis).     Hermit  Thrush. 
Regular  and  not  uncommon  migrant. 

The  Hermit  Thrush  is  the  earliest  in  spring  and  latest  in  fall 
of  all  the  migrant  thrushes.  It  arrives  in  late  March  and  is 
seldom  seen  after  the  middle  of  April.  It  is  present  again  dur- 
ing the  first  three  weeks  of  October. 

It  frequents  the  same  wooded  places  as  the  others  and  may 
be  looked  for  in  Swope  Park,  the  upper  Blue  Valley,  in  the 
bluff  and  bottom  timber,  near  the  Country  Club,  and  many 
other  less  accessible  places 'in  the  county. 

We  have  no  record  of  the  singing  of  this  species  while  migrat- 
ing through  this  region. 

PLANESTICUS  MIGRATORIUS  MIGRATOBIUS  (Linn.).     Robin. 

Abundant  migrant,  very  common  summer  resident  and  rather  rare 
but  regular  winter  resident. 

It  is  safe  to  say  that  there  is  not  a  day  in  the  year  when  Rob- 
ins are  entirely  absent  from  Jackson  County.  During  the  cold- 
est periods  of  the  most  severe  winters  a  few  are  always  to  be 
found  in  the  dense  shelter  of  the  bottom  timber  where  there  is 
an  abundance  of  wild  fruit  for  food.  In  open  and  mild  winters 
they  are  to  be  found  even  within  the  city. 

The  forerunners  of  the  migrating  throngs  arrive  from  the 


334  Trans.  Acad.  Sci.  of  St.  Louis. 

10th  to  the  20th  of  February,  often  much  earlier,  and  by  the 
last  of  the  month  or  in  early  March  migration  is  under  way  in 
earnest.  Countless  thousands  .continue  to  pass  until  the  middle 
of  April,  by  which  time  the  local  birds  have  young  in  the  nest. 
The  southward  migration  occupies  October  and  early  Novem- 
ber. Small  flocks  may  be  seen  in  late  November  and  early 
December  that  may  move  further  south  at  the  approach  of  zero 
weather,  but  always  a  few  hardy  birds  remain. 

The  Robin  has  taken  kindly  to  the  advance  of  civilization 
and  is  steadily  increasing  in  numbers  despite  the  persecution 
of  it  in  some  southern  states,  where  it  is  slaughtered  in  large 
numbers  for  food. 

SIALIA  SIALIS  SIALIS  (Linn.).    Bluebird. 

Very  common  summer  resident;  rather  rare  but  regular  winter  resi- 
dent. 

Bluebirds  have  been  seen  in  and  near  the  city  during  the 
coldest  periods  of  seven  of  the  last  thirteen  winters.  The  first 
spring  migrants  arrive  usually  in  the  second  week  of  February, 
and  by  the  20th  or  25th  are  common.  The  bulk  of  the  migrants 
pass  through  during  the  first  two  weeks  of  March.  Flocks  of 
southbound  migrants  have  been  noted  as  early  as  September 
18th,  but  the  largest  flocks  are  seen  about  a  month  later. 


SUMMARY. 


DATES   ON  WHICH  THE  REGULAR    SPRING    MIGRANTS 
MAY   BE   LOOKED   FOR 


February  1  to  15 
Mallard 
Pintail 

Canada  Goose 
Robin 
Bluebird 

February   15  to  29 
Herring  Gull 
Merganser 
Hooded  Merganser 
Snow  Goose 
White-fronted  Goose 
Killdeer 
Turkey  Vulture 
Red-tailed  Hawk 
Meadowlark 
Rusty  Blackbird 
Bronzed  Grackle 
Purple  Finch 

March  1  to  7 
Gadwall 
Baldpate 

Green-winged  Teal 
Redhead 
Canvas-back 
Lesser  Scaup 
Ruddy  Duck 
Blue  Goose 
Mourning  Dove 
Cooper's  Hawk 
Kingfisher 
Cowbird 

Leconte's  Sparrow 
Red-winged  Blackbird 
Harris's  Sparrow 
Field  Sparrow 
Song  Sparrow 
Swamp  Sparrow 
Fox  Sparrow 
Mockingbird 

March  8  to  20 

Blue-winged  Teal 

Shoveller 

Scaup  Duck 

Great  Blue  Heron 

Coot 

Wilson's  Snipe 

Greater  Yellow-legs 

Marsh  Hawk 

Phoebe 

Pine  Siskin 

Savannah  Sparrow 


Towhee 
Purple  Martin 
Migrant  Shrike 
Myrtle  Warbler 
March  21  to  April  1 
Pied-billed  Grebe 
White  Pelican 
Sandhill  Crane 
Yellow-bellied  Sapsucker 
Chipping  Sparrow 
Pipit 

Golden-crowned  Kinglet 
Hermit  Thrush 

April  2  to  7 

King  Rail 
Least  Sandpiper 
Semipalmated  Sandpiper 
Osprey 

Northern  Flicker 
Vesper  Sparrow 
Henslow's  Sparrow 
White-crowned  Sparrow 
White-throated  Sparrow 
Rough-winged  Swallow 
Louisiana  Water-Thrush 
Brown  Thrasher 
Ruby-crowned  Kinglet 
April  8  to  15 

Ring-billed  Gull 
Franklin's  Gull 
Bittern 
Green  Heron 

Black-crowned  Night  Heron 
Pectoral  Sandpiper 
Yellow-legs 
Broad-winged  Hawk 
Chimney  Swift 
Yellow-headed  Blackbird 
Goldfinch 
Lincoln's  Sparrow 
Barn  Swallow 
Sycamore  Warbler 
Western  House  Wren 
Short-billed   Marsh  Wren 
Prairie  Marsh  Wren 
Blue-gray  Gnatcatcher 

April  16  to  20 
Eared  Grebe 
Virginia  Rail 
Sora 

Florida  Galllnule 
Baird's  Sandpiper 

(335) 


336 


Trans.  Acad.  Sci.  of  St.  Louis. 


AprM  16  to  20— Continued 

Solitary  Sandpiper 
Buff-breasted  Sandpiper 
Spotted  Sandpiper 
Semipalmated  Plover 
Whip-poor-will 
Lark  Sparrow 
Clay-colored  Sparrow 
Tree  Swallow 
Bank  Swallow 
Black  and  White  Warbler 
Prothonotary  Warbler 
Northern  Parula  Warbler 

April  21  to  25 

Wilson's  Phalarope 

Kingbird 

Crested  Flycatcher 

Baltimore  Oriole 

Grasshopper  Sparrow 

Rose-breasted  Grosbeak 

Dickcissel 

Cliff  Swallow 

Warbling  Vireo 

Yellow-throated  Vireo 

Orange-crowned    Warbler 

Tennessee  Warbler 

Oven-bird 

Maryland  Yellow-throat 

Yellow-breasted  Chat 

Redstart 

Wood  Thrush 

April  26  to  30 
Least  Tern 
Black  Tern 
Upland  Plover 
Red-headed  Woodpecker 
Nighthawk 

Ruby-throated  Hummingbird 
Orchard  Oriole 
Indigo  Bunting 
Scarlet  Tanager 
Summer  Tanager 


April  26  to  30 — Continued 
Red-eyed  Vireo 
Blue-headed  Vireo 
White-eyed  Vireo 
Blue-winged  Warbler 
Nashville  Warbler 
Yellow  Warbler 
Palm  Warbler 
Catbird 

May  1  to  10 

Forster's  Tern 
Common  Tern 
Least  Bittern 
Yellow-billed  Cuckoo 
Black-billed  Cuckoo 
Wood  Pewee 
Acadian  Flycatcher 
Traill's  Flycatcher 
Least  Flycatcher 
Bobolink 

Philadelphia  Vireo 
Bell's  Vireo 
Worm-eating  Warbler 
Cerulean  Warbler 
Black-poll  Warbler 
Blackburnian  Warbler 
Black-throated  Green  Warbler 
Grinnell's  Water- Thursh 
Kentucky  Warbler 
Wilson's  Warbler 
Willow  Thrush 
Gray-cheeked  Thrush 
Olive-backed  Thrush 

May  10  to  15 

Olive-sided  Flycatcher 
Yellow-bellied  Flycatcher 
Cape  May  Warbler 
Magnolia  Warbler 
Chestnut-sided  Warbler 
Mourning  Warbler 
Hooded  Warbler 


RESIDENTS 
The  following  species  occur  in  this  vicinity  throughout  the  entire 


year: 


Bob-white 
Red-tailed  Hawk 
Sparrow  Hawk 
Long-eared  Owl 
Barn  Owl 
Barred  Owl 
Screech  Owl 
Great-Horned  Owl 
Hairy  Woodpecker 
Downy  Woodpecker 
Red-bellied  Woodpecker 
Northern  Flicker 
Red-headed  Woodpecker 


Prairie  Horned  Lark 

Blue  Jay 

Crow 

Red-winged  Blackbird 

Goldfinch 

English  Sparrow 

Cardinal 

Carolina  Wren 

White-breasted  Nuthatch 

Tufted  Titmouse 

Chickadee 

Robin 

Bluebird 


Summary  337 

WINTER   RESIDENTS 

In  addition  to  the  above,  the  following  species  occur  in  this  vicinity 
regularly  during  winter: 

Rough-legged  Hawk  Tree  Sparrow 

Short-eared  Owl  Slate-colored  Junco 

Thick-billed   Red-wing  Song  Sparrow 

Northern  Red-wing  Lincoln's  Sparrow 

Purple  Finch  Swamp  Sparrow 

Pine  Siskin  Fox  Sparrow 

Lapland  Longspur  Myrtle  Warbler 

Harris's  Sparrow  Brown  Creeper 

Gambell's  Sparrow  Golden-crowned  Kinglet 

IRREGULAR   WINTER   RESIDENTS 

The  following  species  occur  in  this  vicinity  irregularly  in  winter  or 
during  mild  and  open  winters.  Very  rare  species  and  occasional  visi- 
tants are  not  included: 

Merganser  Meadowlark 

Mallard  Rusty  Blackbird 

Green-winged  Teal  Crossbill 

Canada  Goose  White-crowned  Sparrow 

Mourning  Dove  Field  Sparrow 

Marsh  Hawk  Towhee 

Cooper's  Hawk  Cedar  Waxing 

Western  Red-tail  Northern  Shrike 

Kingfisher  Migrant  Shrike 

Yellow-bellied  Sapsucker  Mockingbird 

Red-shafted  Flicker  Winter  Wren 

Cowbird  Long-tailed  Chickadee 

SUMMER   RESIDENTS 

The  following  species  nest  in  this  vicinity.  A  very  few  species  are 
included  in  the  list  on  such  evidence  as  birds  carrying  nesting  material 
and  being  seen  in  the  neighborhood  all  summer,  and  old  birds  feeding 
young  or  carrying  food  to  nestlings.  Species  represented  by  only  one 
nesting  record  are  placed  in  the  next  list. 

Pied-billed  Grebe  Sharp-shinned  Hawk 

Black  Tern  Cooper's  Hawk 

Hooded  Merganser  Red-tailed  Hawk 

Blue-winged  Teal  Red-shouldered  Hawk 

Bittern  Broad-winged  Hawk 

Least  Bittern  Sparrow  Hawk 

Great  Blue  Heron  Barn  Owl 

Green  Heron  Long-eared  Owl 

King  Rail  Barred  Owl 

Virginia  Rail  Screech  Owl 

Sora  Great  Horned  Owl 

Florida  Gallinule  Yellow-billed  Cuckoo 

Coot  Black-billed  Cuckoo 

Spotted  Sandpiper  Kingfisher 

Killdeer  Hairy  Woodpecker 

Bob-white  Downy  Woodpecker 

Mourning  Dove  Red-headed  Woodpecker 

Turkey  Vulture  Red-bellied  Woodpecker 


338 


Trans.  Acad.  Sci.  of  St.  Louis. 


SUMMER   RESIDENTS— Continued 


Northern  Flicker 

Whip-poor-will 

Nighthawk 

Chimney  Swift 

Ruby-throated  Hummingbird 

Kingbird 

Crested  Flycatcher 

Phoebe 

Wood  Pewee 

Acadian  Flycatcher 

Prairie  Horned  Lark 

Blue  Jay 

Crow 

Cowbird 

Red-winged   Blackbird 

Bell's  Vireo 

Meadowlark 

Western  Meadowlark 

Orchard  Oriole 

Baltimore  Oriole 

Bronzed  Grackle 

Goldfinch 

English  Sparrow 

Grasshopper  Sparrow 

Lark  Sparrow 

Chipping  Sparrow 

Field  Sparrow 

Towhee 

Cardinal 

Rose-breasted  Grosbeak 

Indigo  Bunting 

Dickcissel 

Scarlet  Tanager 

Summer  Tanager 

Purple  Martin 


Cliff  Swallow 

Barn  Swallow 

Bank  Swallow 

Rough-winged  Swallow 

Migrant  Shrike 

Red-eyed  Vireo 

Warbling  Vireo 

Yellow-throated  Vireo 

White-eyed  Vireo 

Black  and  White  Warbler 

Prothonotary  Warbler 

Worm-eating  Warbler 

Blue-winged  Warbler 

Northern  Parula  Warbler 

Yellow  Warbler 

Cerulean  Warbler 

Oven-bird 

Louisiana  Water-Thursh 

Kentucky  Warbler 

Maryland  Yellow-throat 

Yellow-breasted  Chat 

Mockingbird 

Catbird 

Brown  Thrasher 

Carolina  Wren 

Western  House  Wren 

Prairie  Marsh  Wren 

White-breasted  Nuthatch 

Tufted  Titmouse 

Chickadee 

Blue-gray  Gnatcatcher 

Wood  Thrush 

Robin 

Bluebird 


OCCASIONAL  OR  VERY  RARE  BREEDERS 


Black-crowned  Night  Heron 
Yellow-crowned  Night  Heron 
Short-eared  Owl 
Least  Flycatcher 
Yellow-headed  Blackbird 
Vesper  Sparrow 


Savannah  Sparrow 
Henslow's  Sparrow 
Song  Sparrow 
Blue  Grosbeak 
Hooded  Warbler 
Short-billed  Marsh  Wren 


FORMER    BREEDERS 

The  following  species  formerly  nested  here,  but  have  been  driven 
out  by  the  advance  of  civilization: 


Least  Tern 

Mallard 

Shoveller 

Wood  Duck  (may  have  returned) 

Canada  Goose 

Egret 

Woodcock 

Upland  Plover 

Prairie  Chicken 

Ruffed  Grouse 


Wild  Turkey 

Swallow-tailed  Kite 

Marsh  Hawk 

Bald  Eagle 

Osprey 

Carolina  Paroquet 

Ivory-billed  Woodpecker 

Pileated  Woodpecker 

Poor-will 

Raven 


Summary  339 


POSSIBLE    BREEiDERS 

The  following  species  probably  breed  here,  but  conclusive  evidence 
to  prove  this  is  lacking: 

Black  Rail  Sycamore  Warbler 

Western  Horned  Owl  Long-tailed  Chickadee 

Train's  Flycatcher 


EXTRALIMITAL:     NOT   INCLUDED 

The  following  species  have  been  recorded  from  the  Lawrence  re- 
gion, but  are  not  included  in  the  list: 

Mexican  Cormorant  Pine  Grosbeak 

Black-necked  Stilt  Pale  Goldfinch 

Lewis's  Woodpecker  Lark  Bunting 

Say's  Phoebe  Western  Robin 


MIGRANTS 

In  addition  to  the  above-listed  wintering  migrants,  both  regular  and 
irregular,  which  do  not  occur  here  in  summer,  the  following  species  are 
found  in  this  region  only  during  migration.  The  more  rare  birds  are 
marked  with  an  asterisk. 

Holboell's  Grebe*  Buffle-head 

Eared  Grebe  Old-squaw* 

Loon*  Scoter* 

Parasitic  Jaeger*  Surf  Scoter* 

Herring  Gull  Ruddy  Duck 

Ring-billed  Gull  Snow  Goose 

Laughing  Gull*  Greater  Snow  Goose* 

Franklin's  Gull  Blue  Goose 

Bonaparte's  Gull*  White-fronted  Goose 

Caspian  Tern*  Hutchins's  Goose 

Forster's  Tern  Whistling  Swan* 

Common  Tern  Trumpeter  Swan* 

Least  Tern  White-faced  Glossy  Ibis* 

Double-crested  Cormorant  Whooping  Crane* 

White  Pelican  Little  Brown  Crane 

Red-breasted  Merganser  Sandhill  Crane 

Red-legged  Black  Duck  Yellow  Rail 

Black  Duck  Red  Phalarope* 

Gadwall  Northern  Phalarope* 

Baldpate  Wilson's  Phalarope 

Cinnamon  Teal*  Avocet 

Shoveller  Woodcock* 

Pintail  Wilson's  Snipe 

Wood  Duck  Long-billed  Dowitcher* 

Redhead  Stilt  Sandpiper* 

Canvas-back  Knot* 

Scaup  Duck  Pectoral  Sandpiper 

Lesser  Scaup  Duck  White-rumped  Sandpiper 

Ring-necked  Duck  Baird's  Sandpiper 

Golden-eye  Least  Sandpiper 

Barrow's  Golden-eye*  Red-backed  Sandpiper* 


340 


Trans.  Acad.  Sci.  of  St.  Louis. 


MIGRANTS— Continued 


Semipalmated  Sandpiper 

Western  Sandpiper 

Sanderling 

Marbled  Godwit* 

Hudsonian  Godwit* 

Greater  Yellow-legs 

Yellow-legs 

Solitary  Sandpiper 

Willet* 

Western  Willet* 

Upland  Plover 

Buff-breasted  Sandpiper 

Long-billed  Curlew 

Eskimo  Curlew** 

Black-bellied  Plover* 

Golden  Plover 

Semipalmated  Plover 

Piping  Plover* 

Ruddy  Turnstone* 

Mississippi  Kite* 

Swallow-tailed  Kite 

Goshawk* 

Krider's  Hawk* 

Swainson's  Hawk* 

Golden  Eagle 

Bald  Eagle 

Duck  Hawk* 

Pigeon  Hawk 

Osprey 

Saw-whet  Owl* 

Snowy  Owl* 

Western  Nighthawk 

Sennett's  Nighthawk 

Arkansas  Kingbird* 

Olive-sided  Flycatcher 

Yellow-bellied  Flycatcher 

Alder  Flycatcher* 

Horned  Lark 

Bobolink 

Brewer's  Blackbird* 

Evening  Grosbeak* 

White-winged  Crossbill* 

Redpoll* 

Snow  Bunting* 

Smith's  Longspur 

Chestnut-collared  Longspur 


Western  Savannah  Sparrow 
Baird's  Sparrow* 
Western  Grasshopper  Sparrow 
Leconte's  Sparrow 
White-throated  Sparrow 
Clay-colored    Sparrow 
Western  Tree  Sparrow 
Western  Field  Sparrow 

(may  breed) 
White-winged  Junco* 
Shufeldt's  Junco 
Montana  Junco 
Arctic  Towhee* 
Tree  Swallow 
Bohemian  Waxwing* 
Philadelphia  Vireo 
Blue-headed  Vireo 
Golden-winged  Warbler* 
Nashville  Warbler 
Orange-crowned  Warbler 
Tennessee  Warbler 
Cape  May  Warbler* 
Magnolia  Warbler 
Chestnut-sided  Warbler* 
Bay-breasted  Warbler* 
Black-poll  Warbler 
Blackburnian  Warbler 
Black-throated  Green  Warbler 
Pine  Warbler 
Palm  Warbler 
Prairie  Warbler* 
Grinnell's  Water-Thrush 
Connecticut  Warbler* 
Mourning  Warbler 
Wilson's  Warbler 
Pileolated  Warbler* 
Canada  Warbler* 
Pipit 

Sprague's  Pipit* 
Red-breasted  Nuthatch 
Ruby-crowned  Kinglet 
Willow  Thrush* 
Gray-cheeked  Thrusih 
Olive-backed  Thrush 
Hermit  Thrush 


BIBLIOGRAPHY 


In  compiling  this  list  the  author  has  had  access  only  to  his  own 
books,  and  realizes  that  there  are  omissions.  It  is  hoped,  however,  that 
all  the  important  references  are  listed.  For  the  sake  of  economy  of 
space,  titles  are  not  given  in  the  customary  full  bibliographical  form. 

Any  additions  that  may  be  communicated  by  interested  students  will 
be  appreciated,  as  it  is  desired  to  ultimately  complete  the  list  by  in- 
cluding every  published  record  from  the  Kansas  City  region. 

1814.  LEWIS,  M.  and  CLARKE,  W. — History  of  the  Expedition  under  the 
command  of  Captains  Lewis  and  Clarke,  to  the  sources  of  the 
Missouri,  thence  across  the  Rocky  Mountains  and  down  the  River 
Columbia  to  the  Pacific  Ocean.  Performed  during  the  years 
1804-5-6.  By  order  of  the  Government  of  the  United  States.  In 
two  volumes.  Philadelphia.  1814. 

This  edition  has  not  been  handled  by  the  writer.  There  are 
many  subsequent  editions,  several  of  which  are  undesirable 
from  the  standpoint  of  the  naturalist.  The  most  desirable  is 
the  Harper  Edition,  edited  with  notes  by  Coues. 

A  few  bird  notes  were  recorded  while  the  expedition  was 
passing  through  the  Kansas  City  region,  and  will  be  found 
under  dates  of  June,  1804,  and  September,  1806. 

1816.  BRACKENRIDGE,   H.  M. — Journal  of  a  Voyage  Up  the  River  Mis- 
souri;  Performed  in  Eighteen  Hundred  and  Eleven.     By  H.  M. 
Brackenridge,  Esq.     Second  Edition.     Revised  and  Enlarged  by 
the  Author.    Baltimore.    1816. 

While  this  item  is  of  no  real  value  to  the  working  ornitholo- 
gist, it  is  cited  mainly  for  its  references  to  Thomas  Nuttall. 
It  is  of  great  interest  in  touching  on  some  particularities  of 
this  enthusiastic  and  absent-minded  young  naturalist  on  Ms 
first  trip  through  this  region.  His  next  visit  to  the  same  ter- 
ritory, twenty-four  years  later,  is  of  more  importance  to  the 
ornithologist. 

1817.  BRADBURY,  J. — Travels  in  the  Interior  of  America,  in  the  Years 
1809,  1810  and  1811.    By  John  Bradbury.    Liverpool,  1817. 

This  English  botanist  has  recorded  some  interesting  bird 
notes,  and  a  few  that  are  valuable  and  important.  An  au- 
thentic account  is  given  of  the  nesting  of  the  Canada  G-oose 
not  far  below  what  is  now  Sibley,  Jackson  County,  Missouri. 
Notes  on  the  Passenger  Pigeon  are  scattered  throughout  the 
narrative. 

Thomas  Nuttall,  who  was  later  to  acquire  fame  in  the  field 
of  ornithology,  and  who  twenty-four  years  later,  in  company 
with  John  K.  Townsend,  discovered  the  Harris's  Sparrow  in 
this  region,  was  a  member  of  Bradbury's  party. 

(341) 


342  Trans.  Acad.  Sci.  of  St.  Louis. 

1823.  SAY,  THOMAS. — Account  of  an  Expedition  from  Pittsburg  to  the 
Rocky  Mountains,  performed  in  the  years  1819,  and  '20,  by  order 
of  the  Hon.  J.  C.  Calhoun,  Secy,  of  War;  under  the  command  of 
Major  Stephen  H.  Long  of  the  U.  S.  Top.  Engineers.  From  the 
notes  of  Major  Long,  Mr.  T.  Say,  and  other  gentlemen  of  the  ex- 
ploring party.  Compiled  by  Edwin  James,  Botanist  and  Geolo- 
gist of  the  Expedition.  In  two  volumes.  With  an  Atlas.  Phila- 
delphia. 1823. 

A  valuable  reference.  No  serious  student  of  the  ornithology 
of  this  region  can  afford  to  miss  reading  this  narrative, 
though  the  scientific  'matter  is  buried  in  foot-notes.  The  work 
is  rare. 

Thos.  Say,  with  Peale  and  others  of  the  party,  collected 
material  and  notes  on  what  is  now  the  site  of  Kansas  City, 
Missouri,  and  in  the  immediate  vicinity  of  this  point,  on  the 
Kaw  River,  the  scientists  had  a  painful  and  serious  experi- 
ence with  Indians. 

1839.  TOWNSEND,  J.  K. — Narrative  of  a  Journey  across  the  Rocky  Moun- 
tains, to  the  Columbia  River,  and  a  Visit  to  the  Sandwich  Is- 
lands, Chili,  etc.    With  a  Scientific  Appendix.    By  John  K.  Town- 
send.    Philadelphia.    1839. 

.Townsend  and  Nuttall  crossed  Jackson  County,  Missouri,  on 
April  28,  1834,  over  the  frontier  trail  between  Independence 
and  Westport.  Somewhere  between  .the  two  points,  probably 
in  the  Blue  Valley,  Nuttall  took  the  type  specimen  of  the 
Harris's  Sparrow,  which  he  named  the  Mourning  Finch, 
Fringilla  querula.  Townsend  does  not  mention  the  incident 
in  his  narrative  because  of  the  fact  that  Nuttall  had  not  yet 
described  the  bird. 

1839-1841.  MAXIMILIAN,  PEINZ  zu  WIED. — Reise  in  das  Innere  Nord- 
America  in  den  Jahren  1832  bis  1834  von  Maximilian  Prinz  zu 
Wied.  Coblenz.  Two  volumes.  Vol.  1,  1839.  Vol.  2,  1841. 

This  work  contains  much  matter  relative  to  the  birds  of  the 
Missouri  Valley,  but  it  is  largely  omitted  from  the  only  Ameri- 
can edition  the  writer  has  had  access  to.  See  Maximilian, 
1904.  It  is  understood  that  one  of  the  few  copies  of  the 
original  edition  in  this  country  is  owned  in  Topeka,  Kansas. 

1840.  NUTTALL,  T. — A  Manual  of  the  Ornithology  of  the  United  States 
and  of  Canada.    By  Thomas  Nuttall.     Second  Edition.    Two  Vol- 
umes.    Boston.     1840. 

The  Harris's  Sparrow  is  here  given  to  science.  The  type 
locality  is  given  as  "a  few  miles  to  the  west  of  Independence 
in  Missouri." 

1840-1844.  AUDUBON,  J.  J. — The  Birds  of  America,  from  drawings  made 
in  the  United  States  and  their  Territories.  By  John  James  Audu- 
bon.  New  York  and  Philadelphia.  Seven  volumes.  1840-1844. 
Subsequent  editions  have  eight  volumes. 

The  last  volume  of  this  and  the  subsequent  editions  contains 
the  birds  discovered  on  the  Missouri  River  trip  in  1844.  A 
discovery  in  this  region  was  the  Bell's  Vireo,  the  original 
.specimen  of  which  was  taken  near  St.  Joseph,  in  the  Missouri 
bottoms. 


Bibliography.  343 

1843.    MAXIMILIAN,  PRINCE  OF  WIED. — Travels  in  the  Interior  of  North 
America.     By  Maximilian,  Prince  of  Wied.     With  numerous  en- 
gravings on  wood,  and  a  large  map.     Translated  from  the  Ger- 
man by  H.  Evans  Loyd.    81  colored  plates,  folio.    London.    1843. 
This  rare  and  desirable  English  edition  has  not  been  exam- 
ined. 

1845.  FREMONT,  JOHN  C. — Report  of  the  Exploring  Expedition  to  the 
Rocky  Mountains  in  the  year  1842  and  to  Oregon  and  north 
California  in  the  years  1843-4.  By  Brev.  Capt.  J.  C.  Fremont,  of 
the  topographical  engineers,  under  the  orders  of  Col.  J.  J.  Abert, 
chief  of  the  topographical  bureau.  Printed  by  order  of  the  House 
of  Representatives.  Washington.  1845. 

This  report  contains  little  matter  of  interest  to  the  bird 
student. 

1848.  ABERT,  J.  W. — Notes  on  a  Military  Reconnoissance  from  Fort 
Leavenworth,  in  Missouri,  to  San  Diego,  in  California.  By  W.  H. 
Emory.  Washington.  1848. 

Lieut.  Abert's  notes  are  in  appendix  6  (pp.  386-405),  where 
twenty-six  species  are  added  to  the  Kansas  list.  This  expe- 
dition, like  others  from  Fort  Leavenworth  bound  for  the  west 
over  the  Santa  Fe  trail,  passed  through  what  is  now  Kansas 
City,  and  the  old  frontier  settlement  of  Westport. 

1851.  HABRIS,  EDWARD. — List  of  Birds  and  Mammalia  found  on  the  Mis- 
souri River  from  Fort  Leavenworth  to  Fort  Union.  Fifth  An- 
nual Report  Smithsonian  Institute  for  1850,  1851,  pp.  136-138. 

This  list  is  given  as  an  appendix  to  a  narrative  by  Thaddeus 
Culbertson,  and  is  of  interest  as  one  of  the  sources  of  infor- 
mation relative  to  the  occurrence  in  this  region  of  species 
long  since  extirpated  or  extinct.  The  author  was  the  patron 
and  close  friend  of  Audubon,  and  was  with  him  on  the  mem- 
orable Missouri  River  trip. 

1851.  KELLEY,  WM. — An  Excursion  to  California  over  the  Prairie, 
Rocky  Mountains  and  Great  Sierra  Nevada,  with  a  stroll  through 
the  diggings  and  ranches  of  that  country.  By  William  Kelley, 
J.  P.  2  vols.  London.  1851. 

The  writer  of  this  narrative  ascended  the  Kaw  from  its 
mouth,  and  noticed  birds  by  the  way.  The  bird  matter  is 
not  of  unusual  interest  or  value. 

1857.  BREWEE,  THOMAS  M. — Smithsonian  Contribution  to  Knowledge. 
North  American  Oology;  Being  an  Account  of  the  Habits  and 
Geographical  Distribution  of  the  Birds  of  North  America  during 
their  Breeding  Season;  with  Figures  and  descriptions  of  their 
eggs.  By  Thomas  M.  Brewer,  M.  D.  Part  1.  Washington  City. 
Published  by  the  Smithsonian  Institution.  1857.  New  York. 
D.  Appleton  &  Co. 

Two  or  three  references  to  this  region  are  found  in  the  text 
of  this  work,  only  one  part  of  which  was  published. 


344  Trans.  Acad.  Sci.  of  St.  Louis. 

1858.  Reports  of  Explorations  and  Surveys,  to  ascertain  the  most  prac- 
ticable and  economical  route  for  a  railroad  from  the  Mississippi 
River  to  the  Pacific  Ocean.  Made  under  the  direction  of  the  Sec- 
retary of  War,  in  1853-6.  Vol.  IX.  Birds.  By  Spencer  P.  Baird, 
Assistant  Secretary  Smithsonian  Institution,  with  the  co-oper- 
ation of  John  Cassin  and  George  N.  Lawrence.  Washington,  D. 
C.  1858. 

A  rather  large  number  of  specimens  taken  in  the  Kansas 
City  region  were  used  in  the  preparation  of  this  monumental 
work.  Some  material  was  collected  by  unknown  soldiers  sta- 
tioned at  Fort  Leavenworth,  and  sent  in  by  army  officers. 
Among  the  scientists  who  collected  in  this  region  are  Dr.  F. 
V.  Hayden,  of  Lieut.  Warren's  party;  Dr.  Kreuzfeldt,  of  Cap- 
tain Gunnison's  party;  W.  S.  Wood,  of  Lieut.  Bryan's  party; 
Dr.  J.  G.  Cooper,  of  W.  M.  Magraw's  party  (who  secured 
many  specimens  in  Jackson  County),  and  Dr.  Suckley.  Speci- 
mens taken  in  this  region  by  the  Audubon  party  in  1844  are 
also  tabulated. 

1858.  MAXIMILIAN  PRINZ  zu  WIED. — Verzeichniss  der  Vogel  welche  auf 
einer  Reise  in  Nord-America  beobachted  wurden.</oimwZ  fuer 
Ornithologie,  1858. 

This  item  has  not  been  seen;  quoted  from  Mr.  Widmann's 
book. 

1860.  BAIRD,  S.  P. — The  Birds  of  North  America;  the  description  of 
species  based  on  the  collections  in  the  Museum  of  the  Smithso- 
nian Institution.  By  Spencer  F.  Baird,  assistant  secretary  of  the 
Smithsonian  Institution,  with  the  co-operation  of  John  Cassin, 
of  the  Academy  of  Natural  Sciences  of  Philadelphia,  and  George 
N.  Lawrence,  of  the  Lyceum  of  Natural  History  of  New  York. 
With  an  Atlas  of  one  hundred  plates.  Philadelphia:  J.  B.  Lip- 
pincott  &  Co.  1860. 

This  is  a  reprint  of  Volume  IX  of  the  Pacific  Railroad  Sur- 
veys Reports,  1858,  q.  v. 

1863.  HAYDEX,  P.  D. — Report  on  the  Geology  and  Natural  History  of 
the  Upper  Missouri  River  based  on  Explorations  in  1855,  56  and 
57.  <  Trans.  Amr.  Phil.  Soc.,  Vol.  12,  1863. 

Dr.  Hayden  was  one  of  the  foremost  members  of  the  scientific 
organization  connected  with  the  Pacific  Railroad  Surveys, 
and  contributed  much  material  from  the  Kansas  City  region 
used  by  Prof.  Baird  in  his  epochal  revision  of  North  Amer- 
ican birds. 

1864.  BAIRD,  S.  P. — Review  of  American  Birds  in  the  Museum  of  the 
Smithsonian  Institution.     By  S.  P.  Baird.     Part  1.     North  and 
Middle  America.     Washington.     1864.     Smithsonian  Misc.  Coll. 
181. 


Bibliography.  345 

1865.  HOY,  P.  R. — Journal  of  an  Exploration  of  Western  Missouri  in 
1854,  under  the  Auspices  of  the  Smithsonian  Institution.<  (Nine- 
teenth) Annual  Report  Smiths.  Inst.  (for  1864),  1865,  pp. 
431-438. 

This  is  the  first  list  of  Missouri  birds  published.  Notes  and 
specimens  were  collected  in  the  Kansas  City  region.  This 
paper  is  the  sole  authority  for  the  occurrence  here  of  the 
Purple  Sandpiper. 

1872.  ALLEN,  J.  A. — Notes  of  an  Ornithological  Reconnoissance  of  Por- 
tions of  Kansas,  Colorado,  Wyoming  and  Utah.<BuZZ.  Mus.  Comp. 
ZooL,  Vol.  Ill,  No.  6,  July,  1872,  pp.  113-183. 

Contains  notes  of  interest  made  during  ten  days'  collecting 
at  Fort  Leavenworth.  Three  articles  in  the  American  Natur- 
alist for  1872  contain  a  summary  of  this  valuable  paper. 

1872.  SNOW,  P.  H. — A  Catalogue  of  the  Birds  of  Kansas  contributed  to 
the  Kansas  Academy  of  Science  by  Prank  H.  Snow,  Professor  of 
Natural  History  and  Meteorology,  in  the  University  of  Kansas, 
at  Lawrence.     Second  edition,  October,  1872.    Kansas  City,  1872. 
Pp.  16. 

Lists  282  species. 

1873.  C[OUES],    E. — Ornithology    of    the    West. < American    Naturalist, 
vol.  VII,  1873,  pp.  221-223. 

A  review  of  J.  A.  Allen's  paper  listed  above  (1872). 

1873.  SNOW,  P.  H. — Catalogue  of  the  Birds  of  Kansas.  <  Trans.  Kans. 
State  Board  of  Agriculture  for  1872,  April,  1873,  pp.  375-386. 

Changes  were  made  in  this  edition  of  the  Snow  list,  but  the 
total  remains  282  species. 

1874.  BAIRD,   BREWER,   and   RIDGWAY.— A   History   of  North   American 
Birds,  by  S.  P.  Baird,  T.  M.  Brewer  and  R.  Ridgway.    Land  Birds. 
Vols.  MIL     Boston:   Little,  Brown  &  Company.     1874. 

This  standard  reference  cites  a  few  specimens  and  records 
from  this  region. 

1874.  COUES,  ELLIOTT. — Birds  of  the  Northwest.     A  Handbook  of  the 
Ornithology  of  the  Region  drained  by  the  Missouri  River  and 
its  Tributaries.     By  Elliott  Coues,  Captain  and  Assistant  Sur- 
geon, U.  S.  Army,  Dept.  of  Int.,  U.  S.  Geol.  Survey.     Misc.  Pub. 
No.  3.     Washington.     1874. 

This  book  is  invaluable  to  the  student  of  birds  of  the  Mis- 
souri Valley. 

1875.  SNOW,  P.  H. — A  Catalogue  of  the  Birds  of  Kansas  contributed 
to  the  Kansas  Academy  of  Science,  by  P.  H.  Snow,  Professor  of 
Natural  History  and  Meteorology,  in  the  University  of  Kansas, 
at  Lawrence.     Third  Edition.     Pamph.  14  pp.,  1875. 

These  lists  of  Prof.  Snow  may  be  consulted  with  profit  by 
the  student  of  western  Missouri  birds.  The  number  of  spe- 
cies is  here  increased  to  295. 


346  Trans.  Acad.  Sci.  of  St.  Louis. 

1878.  COTJES,   ELUOTT. — Birds   of  the  Colorado  Valley.     A  Repository 
of  Scientific  and  Popular  Information  concerning  North  Ameri- 
can Ornithology.     By  Elliott  Coues.     Part  First.     Passeres  and 
Laniidae.     Bibliographical  Appendix.     Washington.     1878. 

See  Coues,  1874.    The  appendix  is  especially  valuable. 

1879.  SCOTT,  W.   E.   D. — Notes  on  Birds  observed  during  the   Spring 
Migration    in    Western    Missouri. <Bull.    Nuttall    Ornith.    Club. 
Vol.  IV,  No.  3,  July,  1879.     Pp.  139-147. 

This  list  was  made  in  the  Warrensburg,  Johnson  County,  Mis- 
souri, neighborhood,  and  contains  148  species. 

1882.  ABERT,  COL.  JAMES  W. — List  of  Birds  observed  on  a  March 
from  Fort  Leavenworth,  Mo.,  to  Santa  Fe,  N.  M.,  in  1846  and 
1847.<Jowrn«Z  of  th&  Cincinnati  Soc.  of  Nat.  Hist.,  Vol.  V, 
1882. 

See  Abert,  1848. 

1882.  COOKE,  W.  W.— Bird  Migration  in  the  Mississippi  Valley. < For- 
est and  Stream.    Vol.  XVIII,  1882. 

Not  seen. 

1883.  COOKE,    W.    W.— Bird    Migration    in    the    Mississippi    Valley. < 
Forest  and  Stream.    Vol.  XIX,  1883,  Nos.  15,  16,  and  20. 

Not  seen. 

1883-1885.— COOKE,  W.  W.— Mississippi  Valley  Migration. <0rnitholo- 
gist  and  Oologist.  Vol.  VIII,  No.  4  (April,  1883)  to  Vol.  X,  No. 
12  (December,  1885). 

Notes  were  contributed  to  this  valuable  series  of  articles  by 
G.  E.  Stillwell,  of  Kansas  City,  Missouri.  This  observer  is 
indicated  in  the  text  as  No.  33. 

1884.  BAIRD,    BREWER,    and    RIDGWAY. — The    Water    Birds    of    North 
America.     Mem.   Mus.   Comp.   Zool.   Harvard   College,   XII   and 
XIII.     Issued   in  continuation  of  the  publications  of  the  Geo- 
logical Survey  of  California.     Vol.  MI.     Boston:   Little,  Brown 
&  Co.     1884. 

See  Baird,  Brewer,  and  Ridgway,  1874. 

1884.  COOKE,    W.     W.— Distribution    and    Migration     of    Zonotrichia 
querula.<Auk,  Vol.  I,  No.  3,  1884,  pp.  332-337. 

First  atempt  to  define  the  limits  of  the  range  of  Harris's 
Sparrow. 

1885.  DYCHE,   L.   L. — The   Yellow   Rail    (Porzana  noveooracensis)    in 
Kansas. <0rnith.  and  Oologist,  Vol.  10,  No.  11,  1885,  p.  168. 

Reports  this  bird  first  for  the  state  from  the  Lawrence  re- 
gion. 


Bibliography.  347 

1885.    Goss,  N.  S .— Rare  Summer  Residents  in  Kansas.<Awfc,  Vol.  II, 
No.  1,  Jan.,  1885. 

Reports  nesting  of  Coot,  Mallard,  Black  Tern,  Acadian  Ply- 
catcher,  Black  and  White  Warbler,  and  Blue  Grosbeak  in  the 
neighborhood  of  Lawrence. 

1885.  Goss,  N.  S. — The  Yellow  Rail  in  Kansas.<Awfc,  Vol.  II,  No.  4, 
1885,  p.  385. 

Same  specimen  reported  from  Lawrence  by  Prof.  Dyche. 

1886.  AMERICAN  ORNITHOLOGISTS'   UNION. — The   Code   of  Nomenclature 
and  Check-list  of  North  American  Birds  adopted  by  the  Ameri- 
can Ornithologists'  Union,  being  the  report  of  the  committee  of 
the  union  on  classification  and  nomenclature.    New  York.     1886. 

1886.    DYCHE,    L.    L. — The    Red    Crossbill    (Loxia    curvirostra    strick- 
landi)   in  Kansas.<A^fc,  Vol.  Ill,  1886,  pp.  258-261. 
Specimens  were  taken  at  Lawrence. 

1886.    GANETT,  ALBERT. — Letter  to  editor.  <Hoosier  Naturalist,  Vol.   2, 
No.  5,  May,  1886,  p.  71. 

Reports  a  flight  of  Crossbills  at  Lawrence,  Kansas,  and  men- 
tions their  feeding  habits  during  a  severe  spell  of  winter. 

1886.   LANTZ,  D.  E. — Mexican  Crossbills  in  Kansas.<0rnithologist  and 
Oologist,  Vol.  XI,  No.  4,  April,  1886,  p.  59. 

Reports  this  bird  from  the  Lawrence  region. 

1886.   LEMMON,   THEO.    G. — Food    of   Crows   in   Winter. ^Ornithologist 
and  Oologist,  Vol.  XI,  No.  4,  April,  1886,  p.  59. 

An  observation  from  Westport,  now  included  in  Kansas  City, 
Missouri. 

1886.    LEMMON,  THEO.  G. — Note  on  Kingbird  feeding  on  potato  beetle. 
<0rnith.  and  Oologist,  Vol.  XI,  No.  5,  May,  1886. 

1886.  LEMMON,   THEO.   G. — A   Plea   for   our   Birds.<T7ie  Kansas   City 
Live  Stock  Record  and  Farmer,  December  16,  1886. 

Not  seen. 

1887.  LEMMON,   THEO.    G. — Birds   and   their    Relation    to   Agriculture. 
<0rnith.  and  Ool.,  Vol.  12,  No.  11,  November,  1887,  p.  180. 

Mr.  Lemmon  was  a  resident  of  Westport,  Jackson  County, 
Missouri,  and  was  an  early  investigator  in  the  field  of  eco- 
nomic ornithology. 

1887.    RIDGWAY,  ROBERT. — A  Manual  of  North  American  Birds,  by  Rob- 
ert Ridgway.     Illustrated   by   464  outline  drawings   of  generic 
characters.    Philadelphia:     J.  B.  Lippincott  Company.     1887. 
A  second  edition  of  this  important  work  was  issued  in  1896. 


348  Trans.  Acad.  Sci.  of  St.  Louis. 

1888.  BENNETT,  A.  L. — Surf  Scoter  in  Kansas.<A^fc.  Vol.  V,  1888,  p. 
203. 

Note  from  Lawrence. 

1888.  COOKE,  W.  W. — Report  on  Bird  Migration  in  the  Mississippi 
Valley  in  the  Years  1884  and  1885.  By  W.  W.  Cooke.  Bull.  No. 
2,  U.  S.  Dept.  of  Agri.,  Div.  Econ.  Ornith.  Washington.  1888. 

Notes  from  this  region  were  contributed  by  Prof.  Snow,  of 
Lawrence,  and  G.  E.  Stillwell,  of  Kansas  City. 

1888.  LIGHTON,  Louis  R. — Original  Bird  Notes.<Wes£  American 
Scientist,  Vol.  4,  No.  33,  January,  1888,  p.  15. 

Gives  dates  of  arrival  of  seven  common  species  at  Lawrence, 
Kansas. 

1888.  SNOW,  F.  H. — Aechinophorus  occidentalis  in  Kansas. <Auk,  Vol. 
V,  1888,  pp.  201-202. 

Reports  Western  Grebe  taken  on  Kaw  River  at  Lawrence. 

1889.  BARROWS,   WALTER   B. — The   English   Sparrow    (Passer   domesti- 
cus)    in  North  America,  especially  in  its  Relation  to  Agricul- 
ture.    Prepared  under  the  direction   of  Dr.   C.   Hart  Merriam, 
Ornithologist.     By  Walter  B.  Barrows,  Assistant  Ornithologist. 
Bull.  I,  Div.  Economin  Ornith.  and  Mammalogy,  Dept.  of  Agri. 
Washington.    1889. 

A  small  amount  of  material  from  this  region  was  used  in  this 
bulletin. 

1890.  DWIGHT,  JONATHAN,  JR. — The  Horned  Larks  of  North  America. 

<Auk,  Vol.  VII,  1890,  pp.  138-158. 

A  few  specimens  from  this  region  were  handled  in  the  prep- 
aration of  this  paper. 

1890.  W.  H.  P. — The  Lark  Sparrow. <The  Literary  Companion  (Kan- 
sas City,  Kansas,  paper)  Vol.  II,  N.  S.,  No.  2,  February,  1890, 
p.  2. 


1891.  Goss,  N.  S.— History  of  the  Birds  of  Kansas.  By  N.  S.  Goss. 
Topeka,  Kansas.  1891. 

Contains  much  of  value  to  students  of  the  birds  of  this  region. 

1891.  KELLOG,  VERNON  L. — Some  Rarae  Aves  among  Kansas  Ducks. 
<The  Kansas  City  Scientist,  Vol.  5,  No.  8,  August,  1891,  pp. 
125-126. 

Reports  the  capture  of  rare  species  in  the  Lawrence  neigh- 
borhood. 


Bibliography.  349 

1891.  TROUSLOT,  R.  B. — A  Handsome  Present. <The  Kansas  City  Scien- 
tist, Vol.  5,  May,  1891,  p.  77. 

This  is  an  editorial  reference  to  a  nest  and  set  of  six  eggs  of 
the  Migrant  Shrike. 

1892.  BENDIRE,  CHAS. — Life  Histories  of  North  American  Birds,  with 
special  reference  to  their  breeding  habits  and  eggs,  with  twelve 
lithographic  plates.     By  Charles  Bendire,  Captain  U.  S.  Army 
(Retired),  Honorary  Curator  of  the  Department  of  Oology,  U.  S. 
National  Museum,  Member  of  A.  O.  U.    Smithsonian  Institution. 
United     States    National    Museum.       Special    Bulletin    No.     1. 
Washington.     1892. 

Contains  references  to  this  and  surrounding  territory.  Vide 
Bendire,  1895. 

1892.  SNOW,  F.  H.— The  Pacific  Eider  in  Kansas.<Awfc,  Vol.  IX,  1892, 
p.  198. 

This  extralimital  species  was  taken  on  the  Kaw  River  at  Law- 
rence. 

1893.  COUES,    ELLIOTT. — History    of    the    Expedition    under    the    Com- 
mand of  Lewis  and  Clark  to  the  source  of  the  Missouri  River, 
thence  across  the  Rocky  Mountains  and   down  the  River  Col- 
umbia to  the  Pacific  Ocean,  performed  during  the  years  1804- 
05-6,  by  order  of  the  Government  of  the  United  States.     In  four 
volumes.     New  York.     Francis  P.  Harper.     1893. 

Even  this  late  edition  is  difficult  to  find.  Dr.  Coues'  notes 
make  this  a  very  desirable  edition  for  the  ornithologist.  See 
the  editio  princeps,  1814. 

1893.  FISHER,  A.  K.— The  Hawks  and  Owls  of  the  United  States  in 
their  relation  to  Agriculture.  Prepared  under  the  direction  of 
Dr.  C.  Hart  Marriam,  Ornithologist,  by  A.  K.  Fisher,  M.  D., 
Assistant  Ornithologist.  Washington.  1893. 

This  model  economic  report  tabulates  a  few  specimens  from 
Jackson  County,  Missouri,  and  surrounding  territory. 

1893.  JORDAN,  DAVID  STARR. — A  Manual  of  the  Vertebrate  Animals  of 
the   Northern   United   States,   including  the  district   north   and 
east   of  the  Ozark  Mountains,   south   of  the  Laurentian  Hills, 
north   of  the  southern  boundary   of  Virginia,  and   east  of  the 
Missouri    River.      By    David    Starr    Jordan.      Seventh    Edition. 
Chicago.     A.  C.  McClurg  &  Company.     1894. 

1894.  COALE,  HENRY  K.— Ornithological  Notes  on  a  Flying  Trip  through 
Kansas,  New  Mexico,  Arizona,  and   Texas.  <Auk,  Vol.  XI,  No. 
3,  1894,  pp.  215-222. 

A  short  paragraph  is  devoted  to  a  few  common  species  in  the 
immediate  neighborhood  of  Leavenworth,  Kansas. 


350  Trans.  Acad.  Sci.  of  St.  Louis. 

1895.  American  Ornithologists'  Union  Check-list  of  North  American 
Birds,  prepared  by  a  committee  of  the  American  Ornithologists' 
Union.  Second  and  revised  edition.  New  York.  1895. 

1895.  BARROWS,  WALTER  B.,  and  SCHWARZ,  E.  A. — The  Common  Crow 
of  the  United  States.  Bull.  No.  6,  Dept.  Agri.  Div.  Ornith.  and 
Mammalogy.  Washington.  1895. 

The  only  local  reference  is  to  Douglas  County,  Kansas,  Crow 
roosts. 

1895.  BENDIRE,  C. — Life  Histories  of  North  American  Birds,  from  the 
Parrots  to  the  Grackles,  with  special  reference  to  their  breed- 
ing habits  and  eggs,  by  Charles  Bendire,  Captain  and  Brevet 
Major  U.  S.  Army  (Retired),  Honorary  Curator  of  the  Depart- 
ment of  Oology  of  the  United  States  National  Museum,  Member 
of  the  A.  O.  U.;  with  seven  lithographic  plates.  Washington. 
1895. 

See  Bendire,  1892. 

1895.  BBYANT,  JOHN  A. — Clark's  Nutcracker  in  Eastern  [Western] 
Missouri.<Attfc,  Vol.  XII,  No.  1,  1895,  p.  82. 

Records  an  extralimital  species  from  Kansas  City. 

1895.  BRYANT,  JNO.  A.— Clark's  Nutcracker. <Auk,  1895,  No.  2,  1895, 
pp.  181-182. 

Further  notes  relative  to  the  occurrence  of  this  bird  in  this 
and  surrounding  territory. 

1895.  JONES,  LYNDS. — Record  of  the  work  of  the  Wilson  Ornithological 
Chapter  of  the  Agassiz  Association  for  1893  and  1894,  on  the 
Mnloltiltidae.<WiZsow.  Bulletin  Nos.  4  and  5,  1895. 

Local  data  is  contributed  to  this  report  by  John  A.  Bryant, 
of  Kansas  City. 

1896.  HARRIS,  J.  H.  JR.— The  Florida  Ga,mnule.<Niaoloffist,  Vol.  Ill, 
No.  9,  May,  1896,  p.  95. 

Amateur  notes. 

1896.   HARRIS,  J.  H.  JR. — Some  Observations  on  the  Spotted  Sandpiper. 
<0sprey,  Vol.  1,  No.  1,  pp.  7-8. 
Amateur  notes. 

1896.   WILSON,   SIDNEY   S. — Harris's  Sparrow   in   Spring  Dress  in  Au- 
tumn.<Auk,  Vol.  XIII,  No.  2,  1896. 
A  note  from  St.  Joseph,  Missouri. 

1896.  WILSON,  SIDNEY  S. — Field  Notes. <Wilson  Bulletin,  No.  8,  May 
30,  1896. 

Mr.  Wilson  was  a  St.  Joseph,  Missouri,  observer.  . 


Bibliography.  351 

1897.    JOHNSON,  WALTER  ADAMS.— War  on  the  Red-headed  Woodpecker. 
<0sprey,  Vol.  I,  No.  11,  1897,  p.  147. 

Editorial  comment  on  article  in  the  Kansas  City  Star. 

1897.   WILSON,   SIDNEY  S.— Letter   to  editor. <Nidologist,  Vol.   IV,  No. 
7,  March,  1897,  p.  81. 

An  observation  from  St.  Joseph,  Missouri,  on  the  manner  of 
the  Chimney  Swift  securing  twigs  for  its  nest. 

1897.   WILSON,   SIDNEY,   S. — Chimney  Swifts  Breaking  off  Twigs  with 
their  Feet.<0sprey,  Vol.  I,  No.  9,  May,  1897,  p.  122. 

1897.  WILSON,  SIDNEY  S. — Notes  from  Missouri.<Witeon  Bulletin,  No. 
13,  1897,  p.  18. 

Notes  from  Buchanan  County. 

1898.  DAVIE,  OLIVER. — Nests  and  Eggs  of  North  American  Birds.     By 
Oliver  Davie,  Author  of  American  Methods  in  the  Art  of  Taxi- 
dermy.    Fifth    Edition.      Revised,   Augmented    and    Illustrated. 
Columibus.     1898. 

1898.   WILSON,    SIDNEY    S. — General    Notes.<Wilson   Bulletin,   No.    18, 
Jan.,  1898,  pp.  9-10. 

1898.  WILSON,    SIDNEY    S. — General    Notes.<WiZson   Bulletin,    No.    22, 
Sept.,  1898,  p.  69. 

1899.  LANTZ,  D.  E. — A  Review  of  Kansas  Ornithology. <  Trans.  Kans. 
Acad.  Science  (for  1896-1897),  Vol.  XVI,  July,  1899,  pp.  224-276. 

Contains  a  bibliography  (pp.  224-244)  and  an  annotated  list 
of  351  species  (pp.  244-276).  This  is  a  carefully  prepared  and 
valuable  paper,  but  unfortunately  seems  to  be  little  known 
among  students  of  western  Missouri  birds,  and  the  Public 
Library  of  Kansas  City  does  not  own  a  copy.  The  volume  of 
Transactions  containing  this  study  may  be  had  from  the  Sec- 
retary of  the  Academy  at  Lawrence. 

1899.  WILSON,    SIDNEY    S. — General    Notes.<Wifson    Bulletin,    No.    27, 
July,  1899,  p.  62. 

1900.  AUDUBON,   M.    R. — Audubon    and   his   Journals,   with   Zoological 
and  other  notes  by  Elliott  Coues.     By  Maria  R.  Audubon.     New 
York.     1900.     Two  volumes. 

In  that  portion  of  these  historical  journals  dealing  with  the 
Missouri  River  trip,  is  to  be  found  a  list  of  birds  of  the  great- 
est interest  and  importance  to  local  students.  An  account  is 
also  given  of  the  discovery  of  Bell's  Vireo  near  St.  Joseph, 
and  the  supposed  discovery  of  Harris's  Sparrow  in  the  same 
neighborhood. 


352  Trans.  Acad.  Sci.  of  St.  Louis. 

1900.  JONES,  LYNDS,  and  DAWSON,  W.  L. — A  Summer  Reconnoissance 
in  the  West<Wfl*o»  Bulletin,  No.  33,  October,  1900,  pp.  10-11. 

Contains  a  horizon  made  in  the  Kansas  City  region. 

1901.  RIDGWAY,  ROBERT. — Bulletin  of  the  United   States  National  Mu- 
seum No.  50.     The  Birds  of  North  and  Middle  America;   A  De- 
scriptive Catalogue  of  the  Higher  Groups,  Genera,  Species,  and 
Subspecies   of  Birds  known   to   occur   in   North  America,   from 
the  Arctic  Lands  to  the  Isthmus  of  Panama,  the  West  Indies 
and    other   Islands   of   the   Caribbean   Sea,   and   the    Galapagos 
Archipelago.     By  Robert  Ridgway,  Curator,   Division  of  Birds. 
Part  I.     Family  Fringillidae — The  Finches.    Washington:     Gov- 
ernment Printing  Office.     1901. 

Seven  volumes  of  this  monumental  work,  the  standard  of 
reference,  have  appeared  to  1918.  The  early  volumes  are 
out  of  print  and  in  constant  demand.  Students  located  in 
western  Missouri  will  find  these  indispensable  volumes  only 
in  a  few  private  libraries. 

1901.  SNOW,  F.  H. — A  Catalogue  of  the  Birds  of  Kansas    (fifth  edi- 
tion)   with   Notes   upon   Preceding   Catalogues   and   Lists.     By 
Francis  H.  Snow,  Ph.  D.,  LL.D.,  of  the  University  of  Kansas.< 
Trans.  Kans.  Acad.  Science,  Vol.  XVIII.     1901. 

This  is  Prof.  Snow's  last  list  and  contains  342  specimens.  Re- 
printed May,  1903. 

1902.  RIDGWAY,  ROBERT. — Birds  of  North  and  Middle  America.     Part 
II.     Family    Tanagridae — The    Tanagers.      Family    Icteridae— 
The  Troupials.    Family  Coerebidae — The  Honey  Creepers.   Fam- 
ily Mniotiltidae — The  Wood  Warblers.     Washington.     1902. 

See  Ridgway,  1901. 

1903.  COOKE,   WELLS   W. — Some   New   Facts    about    the   Migration   of 
Birds.      Reprint    from    Yearbook    of    Dept.    of    Agri.    for    1902. 
Washington.     1903. 

Contains  valuable  matter  relative  to  this  region. 

1903.  COUES,  ELLIOTT. — Key  to  North  American  Birds.  Containing  a 
concise  account  of  every  species  of  living  and  fossil  bird  at 
present  known  from  the  continent  north  of  the  Mexican  and 
United  States  boundary,  inclusive  of  Greenland  and  Lower  Cali- 
fornia, with  which  are  incorporated  General  Ornithology:  an 
outline  of  the  structure  and  classification  of  birds;  and  Field 
Ornithology,  a  manual  of  collecting,  preparing,  and  preserving 
birds.  The  Fifth  Edition  (entirely  revised)  exhibiting  the 
nomenclature  of  the  American  Ornithologists'  Union,  and  in- 
cluding descriptions  of  additional  species.  In  two  volumes.  Vol.  I 
(II).  By  Elliott  Coues,  A.  M.,  M.  D.,  Ph.  D.,  etc.,  etc.  Boston. 
Dana  Estes  and  Cottnpany.  1903. 


Bibliography.  353 

1904.  BRUNER,  WALCOTT,  and  SWENK. — A  Preliminary  Review  of  the 
Birds  of  Nebraska  with  Synopses.  By  Lawrence  Bruner,  Robert 
H.  Wolcott,  and  Myron  H.  Swenk.  Omaha,  Nebraska.  N.  D. 

A  useful  paper  on  the  avifauna  of  adjacent  territory  on  the 
northwest. 

1904.  COOKE,  WELLS  W. — Distribution  and  Migration  of  North  Ameri- 
can Warblers.  By  Wells  W.  Cooke,  Assistant,  Biological  Sur- 
vey. U.  S.  Dept.  of  Agri.  Div.  of  Biological  Survey — Bulletin 
No.  18.  Washington.  1904. 

Invaluable  to  the  local  student. 

1904.    MAXIMILIAN,  PRINCE  OF  WIED. — Travels  in  the  Interior  of  North 
America  in  the  Years  1832  to  1834.     Vol.  22  of  Early  Western 
Travels,    Edited   by   Reuben   Gold    Thwaites.     Cleveland,   Ohio. 
The  Arthur  H.  Clark  Company.     1904. 
See  Maximilian,  1839-1841. 

1904.    RIDGWAY,    ROBERT. — The    Birds   of   North   and   Middle   America. 
Part  III.     Washington.     1904. 
See  Ridgway,  1901. 

1904.  SNOW,  F.  H. — Two  Additions  to  the  Bird  Fauna  of  Kansas. < 
Auk,  Vol.  XXI,  1904,  p.  284. 

Reports   the   Parasitic   Jaeger   and   White-winged    Crossbill 
from  Lawrence. 

1906.  COOKE,  WELLS  W. — Distribution  and  Migration  of  North  Ameri 
can  Ducks,  Geese  and  S*wans.  By  Wells  W.  Cooke,  Assistant, 
Biological  Survey — Bulletin  No.  26.  Washington.  1906. 

Contains  much  valuable  data  from  the  Mississippi  and  Mis- 
souri Valleys. 

1906.  SNOW,  FRANCIS  H.— Two  Birds  New  to  the  Avifauna  of  Kansas. 
<Auk,  Vol.  XXIII,  1906,  p.  106. 

Red  Phalarope  taken  four  miles  from  Lawrence.    Total  spe- 
cies and  subspecies  for  state  is  now  349. 

1906.  WETMORE,  ALEX. — Christmas  Bird  Census  at  Lawrence,  Kansas. 
<Bird  Lore,  Vol.  13,  No.  1,  1906,  p.  22. 

1907.  ANDERSON,  R.  M. — The  Birds  of  Iowa.     Proc.  Davenport  Acad. 
Science.     Vol.    XI.      Pp.    125-417.         Davenport,    Iowa.      March, 
1907. 

Useful  reference  treating  of  the  birds  of  adjoining  territory 
on  the  north. 

1907.  CHAPMAN,  FRANK  M. — The  Warblers  of  North  America.  By 
Frank  M.  Chapman  with  the  Co-operation  of  Other  Ornitholo- 
gists. New  York.  D.  Appleton  &  Co.  1907. 


354  Trans.  Acad.  Sci.  of  St.  Louis. 

1907.    RIDGWAY,   ROBERT. — The   Birds   of   North   and   Middle   America. 
By  Robert  Ridgway.     Part  IV.     Washington.     1907. 
See  Ridgway,  1901. 

1907.  WIDMANN,  OTTO. — A  Preliminary  Catalogue  of  the  Birds  of  Mis- 
souri.   By  Otto  Widmann.     Transactions  of  the  St.  Louis  Acad- 
emy of  Science.     Vol.  XVII,  No.  1,  November  16,  1907.     Pp.  1- 
288. 

Missouri  ornithologists  are  very  fortunate  in  having  access 
to  Mr.  Widmann's  vast  fund  of  knowledge  of  the  birds  of  this 
region.  This  report  is  one  of  the  best  state  lists  extant.  It 
may  be  procured  from  the  Secretary  of  the  Academy  at  St. 
Louis. 

1908.  AMERICAN   ORNITHOLOGISTS'   UNION. — The   Code  of  Nomenclature 
adopted  by  the  American  Ornithologists'  Union.     Revised  Edi- 
tion.    New  York.     July,  1908. 

1908.  BAILEY,  FLORENCE  MERRIAM. — Handbook  of  Birds  of  the  West- 
ern United  States,  including  the  Great  Plains,  Pacific  Slope, 
and  Lower  Rio  Grande  Valley.  By  Florence  Merriam  Bailey. 
Third  edition.  Revised.  Boston  and  New  York.  Houghton 
Mifflin  Company.  N.  D.  (1908.) 

1908.  SMITHSON,  A.  F. — Christmas  Census  for  Kansas  City,  Missouri. 
<Bird  Lore,  Vol.  14,  No.  1,  1908,  p.  34. 

1908.  WALMSLEY,  H.  R. — Christmas  Census  for  Kansas  City,  Missouri. 
<Bird  Lore,  Vol.  14,  No.  1,  1908,  p.  34. 

1909.  WALMSLEY,  H.  R. — Christmas  Census  for  Kansas  City,  Missouri. 
<Bird  Lore,  Vol.  16,  No.  1,  1909,  p.  35. 

1909.  WETMORE,  ALEXJ— Fall  Notes  from  Eastern  Kansas. <Condor, 
Vol.  XI,  No.  5,  Sept.,  1909. 

A  valuable  paper  based  on  two  collecting  trips  in  the  Law- 
rence region. 

1909.  WETMORE,  ALEX. — Two  Records  from  Eastern  Kansas. < Condor, 
Vol.  XI,  No.  6,  Nov.,  1909. 

Notice  of  specimens  of  Lewis's  Woodpecker  and  the  Western 
Robin  taken  in  the  Lawrence  neighborhood. 

1909.  WORCESTER,    URI    B. — The    Towhee    in    Kansas. <0ologist,    Vol. 
XXVI,  No.  12,  1909,  pp.  226-227. 

Amateur  notes. 

1910.  AMERICAN  ORNITHOLOGISTS'   UNION. — Check-list  of  North  Ameri- 
can Birds.     Prepared  by  a  Committee  of  the  American   Orni- 
thologists' Union.     New  York.     1910. 


Bibliography.  355 

1910.    COOKE,  WELLS  W. — The  Type  Locality  of  Vireo  belli.<AuJc,  VoL 

XXVII,  No.  3,  July,  1910. 

Establishes  the  type  locality  at  St.  Joseph,  Missouri. 

1910.  COOKE,  WELLS  W. — The  Migratory  Movements  of  Birds  in  Rela- 
tion to  the  Weather.  Reprint  from  Yearbook  of  Department  of 
Agriculture  for  1910. 

1910.  WALMSLEY,  H.  R. — Christmas  Census  for  Kansas  City,  Missouri. 
<Bird  Lore,  Vol.  16,  No.  1,  1910. 

1911.  COOKE,  WELLS  W. — Distribution  of  the  American  Egrets.     U.  S. 
Dept.  Agri.,  Bureau  Biol.  Surv. — Circ.  No.  84,  Sept.  13,  1911. 

Contains  notes  from  the  Lawrence  region. 

1911.    EVANS,     LOGAN. — Colym'bus     holboelli     in     Kansas. <Awfc,     Vol. 

XXVIII,  1911,  p.  107. 

Reports  a  specimen  of  this  grebe  taken  on  the  Kaw  River 
near  Lawrence. 

1911.   HOWELL,  ARTHUR  H. — Birds  of  Arkansas.     By  Arthur  H.  Howell. 
Bull.  Biol.  Surv.    No.  38.     October  12,  1911.    Washington,  D.  C. 
Useful  reference  for  students  of  western  Missouri  birds. 

1911.    RIDGWAY,   ROBERT. — The   Birds   of   North   and   Middle   America. 
By  Robert  Ridgway.     Part  V.     1911. 
See  Ridgway,  1901. 

1911.  SHIRLING,  A.  E. — Christmas  Census  for  Kansas  City,  M.o.<Bird 
Lore,  Vol.  17,  No.  1,  1911,  p.  40. 

1912.  BOLT,  BENJ.  P. — Capture  of  a  Golden  Eagle  at  Kansas  City,  Mo. 
<Auk,  Vol.  XXIX,  No.  1,  1912,  p.  102. 

Reports  a  late  capture  of  this  bird  near  the  city. 

1912.  CHAPMAN,  FRANK  M. — Handbook  of  Birds  of  Eastern  North 
America,  with  Introductory  Chapters  on  the  study  of  Birds  in 
Nature.  By  Frank  M.  Chapman,  Curator  of  Ornithology  in  the 
American  Museum  of  Natural  History,  etc.,  etc.  Revised  edi- 
tion. New  York  and  London.  D.  Appleton  and  Company.  1912. 

1912.  CHAPMAN  and  REED. — Color  Key  to  North  American  Birds,  with 
Bibliographical  Appendix.  By  Frank  M.  Chapman,  with  up- 
wards of  800  Drawings,  by  Chester  A.  Reed.  Revised  Edition. 
New  York.  D.  Appleton  &  Co.  1912. 

Contains  a  valuable  faunal  bibliography,  referring  to  this  and 
surrounding  territory. 


356  Trans.  Acad.  Sci.  of  St.  Louis. 

1913.  BUNKEB,  C.  D. — The  Birds  of  Kansas. <The  Kansas  University 
Science  Bulletin,  Vol.  VII,  No.  5,  June,  1913,  pp.  137-158. 

There  are  379  species  and  subspecies  here  listed,  annotated, 
for  the  most  part,  as  to  relative  abundance  in  eastern,  cen- 
tral, and  western  Kansas.  A  valuable  paper. 

1913.  COOKE,  WELLS  W. — Distribution  and  Migration  of  North  Ameri- 
can Herons  and  their  Allies.  By  Wells  W.  Cooke,  Assistant, 
Biological  Survey.  U.  S.  Dept.  Agri.,  Biol.  Surv.-Bull.  No.  45. 
Washington.  1913. 

Contains  data  from  this  region. 

1913.  SMITHSON,  A.  F. — Some  Birds  from  Southwestern  Missouri. < 
Auk,  Vol.  XXX,  No.  3,  July,  1913,  p.  437. 

Notes  on  Bewick's  Wren,  Evening  Grosbeak,  and  others  from 
Warrensburg,  Missouri. 

1913.  WALMSLEY,  H.  R.,  and  MBS.  WALMSLEY. — Christmas  Census  for 
Kansas  City,  Mo.<Bird  Lore,  Vol.  18,  No.  1,  1913,  p.  35. 

1913.  WETMOBE,    ALEX. — Notes    on     Certain    Kansas     Birds. <  Condor. 
Vol.  XV,  No.  3,  May,  1913,  pp.  120-121. 

Report  on  avian  conditions  in  the  Lawrence  region  during 
the  severe  winter  of  1911-1912. 

1914.  COOKE,  WELLS  W. — Distribution  of  North  American  Rails  and 
their  Allies.    Bull.  Dept.  Agri.  No.  128.    September  25,  1914. 

Contains  data  from  this  and  surrounding  territory. 

1914.    RIDGWAY,   ROBEBT. — The  Birds  of  North   and  Middlle  America. 
By  Robert  Ridgway.     Part  VI.     1914. 
See  Ridgway,  1901. 

1914.  WETMOBE,   ALEX. — A   New   Bird   for   the  Kansas   List.  <  Condor, 
Vol.  XVI,  No.  2,  March,  1914,  p.  92. 

Reports  Planesticus  migratorius  achrusterus  from  Lawrence, 
Kansas. 

1915.  COOKE,  WELLS  W. — Preliminary  Census  of  Birds  of  the  United 
States.     Bull.  Dept.  Agri.  No.  187.     Washington.     February  11, 
1915. 

Contains  estimates  from  a  few  observers  in  this  region. 

1915.  COOKE,  WELLS  W. — Bird  Migration.  U.  S.  Dept.  Agri.  Bull.  No. 
185.  Washington.  April  17,  1915. 

1915.  COOKE,  WELLS  W. — Distribution  of  North  American  Gulls  and 
their  Allies.  U.  S.  Dept.  Agri.  Bull.  No.  292.  Professional 
Paper.  Washington,  D.  C.  October  25,  1915. 


Bibliography.  357 

1915.  DONAHUE,  RALPH. — Queer  Nesting  Places  and  Early  Arrival  of 
Slate-colored  J unco. <0olo gist,  Vol.  XXXII,  No.  11,  Nov.,  1915, 
p.  188. 

1915.  WRIGHT,  ALBERT  HAZEN. — Early  Records  of  the  Wild  Turkey,  V. 
<Auk,  Vol.  XXXII,  1915,  pp.  354-358. 

A  list  of  early  publications  containing  references  to  the  oc- 
currence of  the  Wild  Turkey  in  this  region  is  cited. 

1916.  Anonymous   [Giro  BOHL]. — Bird  Life  of  the  North  Side.  <  The 
North  Side  Booster,  Vol.  1,  No.  26,  Dec.  27,  1916. 

Notes  in  a  Kansas  City  Trade  Journal  by  an  old-time  observer 
on  former  conditions  in  the  old  part  of  the  city. 

1916.  COOKE,  WELLS  W. — Second  Annual  Report  of  Bird  Counts  in  the 
United  States,  with  discussion  of  Results.  Dept.  Agri.  Bull.  No. 
396.  Washington.  October  23,  1916. 

See  "Preliminary  Census,"  Cooke,  1915. 

1916.    DONAHUE,  RALPH. — Easy  Pood  for  the  Red-head.<OoZo#is£,  Vol. 

XXXIII,  No.  11,  Oct.,  1916,  p.  178. 

1916.  HOFFMANN,  RALPH. — The  Pomarine  Jaeger  and  the  Purple  Gal- 
linule  in  Western  Missouri.<Awfc,  Vol.  XXXIII,  No.  2,  April, 
1916,  p.  196. 

Reports  two  birds  new  to  the  Kansas  City    region,    one    of 
which  is  new  to  the  state. 

1916.  KALMBACH,  E.  R. — Winter  Crow  Roosts.  By  E.  R.  Kalmbach, 
Assistant  Biologist,  Biological  Survey.  Reprint  from  Yearbook 
of  Dept.  Agri.  for  1915.  Washington.  1916. 

1916.  K.  C.  BIRD  CLUB  MEMBERS. — Christmas  Census  for  Kansas  City, 
Missouri. <Bird  Lore,  Vol.  XIX,  No.  1,  1917,  pp.  37-38. 

1916.  RIDGWAY,   ROBERT. — The   Birds    of   North    and    Middle   America. 
By  Robert  Ridgway.     Part  VII. 

See  Ridgway,  1901. 

1917.  DONAHUE,  RALPH.— The  Phoebe. <0ologist,  Vol.  XXXIV,  No.   2, 
Jan.,  1917,  p.  20. 

1917.    DONAHUE,  RALPH. — The  Black-capped  Chickadee.<OoZo0is£,  Vol. 

XXXIV,  No.  8,  Oct.,  1917,  p.  152. 

1917.  DONAHUE,  RALPH.— Bird  Accidents. <0ologist,  Vol.  ±KXIV,  No. 
8,  1917,  p.  153. 


358  Trans.  Acad.  Sci.  of  St.  Louis. 

1917.    BUNKER,    C.    D. — American    Goshawks    in    Kansas.<Awfc,    Vol. 
XXXIV,  Jan.,  1917,  pp.  87-88. 

Notes  an  unusual  invasion  of  these  birds  in  the  severe  winter 
of  1916-1917. 

1917.    HOFFMANN,    RALPH. — Christmas   Bird    Census    for    Kansas   City, 
Missouri.<BmZ  Lore,  Vol.  19,  No.  1,  1917,  pp.  35-35. 
Forty-two  species  and  3,740  individuals. 

1917.    SHIELING,  A.  E. — Christmas  Bird  Census  for  Pleasant  Hill,  Mis- 
so\iTi.<Bird  Lore,  Vol.  19,  No.  1,  1917,  p.  35. 

1917.   HYDE,  A.  SIDNEY. — Some  Rare  Birds  of  Eastern  Kansas.<OoZo- 
gist,  Vol.  XXXIV,  No.  9,  Sept.,  1917. 

1917.    SHIELING,  A.  E. — The  Season.     (Letter  from  Kansas  City,  Mo.) 
<Bird  Lore,  Vol.  19,  1917,  p.  154. 

1917.  SHIELING,    A.    E. — Summer   Birds    of    Swope   Park.<Bird   Lore, 
Vol.  19,  1917,  p.  273. 

This  is  a  brief  notice  of  an  elaborate  ecological  study  pre- 
pared by  Mr.  Shirling,  but  which  has  not  yet  been  published. 
It  will  be  a  valuable  contribution  to  the  subject  and  should 
be  referred  to  by  local  students  as  well  as  others. 

1918.  HABRIS,  HARRY. — Notes  from  the  Kansas  City  Region.     The  Sea- 
son. <Bird  Lore,  Vol.  20,  1918,  pip.  165-166. 

1918.  HARRIS,  HARRY. — Notes  from  the  Kansas  City  region.     The  Sea- 
son. <Bird  Lore,  Vol.  20,  1918,  pp.  431-432. 

1919.  HARRIS,    HARRY. — Historical    Notes    on    the    Harris's    Sparrow 

(Zonotrichia  querula)<AuTc,  Vol.  XXXVI,  No.  2,  1919,  pp.  — . 


INDEX. 


Acadian  Flycatcher,  280,  336,  338 
Acanthis  linaria  linaria,  291 
Acippiter  cooperi,  261 

velox,  260 

Actitis  macularius,  254 
Aechmophorus  occidentalis,  223 
Aegialitis  meloda,  256 

semipalmata,  256 

Agelaius  phoeniceus  arctolegus,  287 
fortis,  286 
phoeniceus,  285 
predatorius,  285 
Aix  sponsa,  235 
Alaudidae,  282 
Alcedinidae,  271 
Alcyones,  271 
Alder  Flycatcher,  281,  340 
Aluco  pratincola,  266 
Aluconidae,  266 
Ammodramus  bairdi,  295 

savannarum  australis,  295 

bim&culatus,  296 
Anas  platyrhynchos,  231 

rubripes  rubripes,  232 

tristis,  232 
Anatidae,  230 
Anatinae,  231 
Anhinga  anhinga,  228 
Anhingidae,  228 
Anser  albifrons  gambeli,  239 
Anseres,  230 
Anserinae,  238 
Anthus  rubescens,  325 

spraguei,  325 
Antrostomus  vocifems,  275 

carolinensis,  275 
Aphrizidae,  256 


Aquila  chrysaetos,  264 
Archibuteo  ferrugineus,  264 

lagopus  sancti-johannis,  263 
Archilochus  colubris,277 
Arctic  Towhee,  304,  340 
Ardeaherodias  herodias,  242 
Ardeidae,  241 
Ardeinae,  242 

Arenaria  interpres  morinella,  256 
Arenariinae,  256 
Arkansas  Kingbird,  278,  340 
Arquatella  maritima  maritima,  250 
Asio  flammeus,  267 

wilsonianus,  267 
Astragalinus  tristis  tristis,  292 
Astur  atricapillus  atricapillus,  261 
Avocet,  248,  339 


B 


Daeolophus  bicolor,  330 
Baird's  Sandpiper,  250,  335,  339 
Baird's  Sparrow,  295,  340 
Bald  Eagle,  264,  338,  340 
Baldpate,  233,  335,  339 
Baltimore  Oriole,  289,  336,  338 
Bank  Swallow,  309,  336,  338 
Barn  Owl,  266,  336,  337 
Barn  Swallow,  308,  335,  338 
Barred  Owl,  268,  336,  337 
Barrow's  Golden-eye,  237,  339 
Bartramia  longicauda,  253 
Bay-breasted  Warbler,  319.  340 
Bell's  Vireo,  313,  336,  338 
Belted  Kingfisher,  271 
Bewick's  Wren,  327 
Bibliography,  341 
Bittern,  241,  335,  337 

Least,  242,  336,  337 


(359) 


360 


Trans.  Acad.  Sci.  of  St.  Louis. 


Blackbird,  Brewer's,  290,  340 

Red-winged,  285.  335,  336,  338 
Rusty,  289,  335,  337 
Yellow-headed,  284,  335,  338 

Black-bellied  Plover,  255,  340 

Black-billed  Cuckoo,  271,  336,  337 

Blackburnian  Warbler,  319,  336,  340 

Black-crowned  Night  Heron,  243,  336,  338 

Black  Duck,  232,  339 

Red-legged,  232,  339 

Black-poll  Warbler,  319,  336,  340 

Black  Rail,  246,  339 

Black  Tern,  228,  336,  337 

Black-throated  Blue  Warbler,  317 

Black-throated  Green  WarMer,  320,336,340 

Black  and  White  Warbler,  314,  336,  388 

Bluebird,  334,  335,  336,  338 

Blue  Goose,  239,  335,  339 

Blue-gray  Gnatcatcher,  331,  335,  338 

Blue  Grosbeak,  305,  338 

Blue-headed  Vireo,  313,  336,  340 

Blue  Jay,  283,  336,  338 

Blue-winged  Teal,  233,  335,  337 

Blue-winged  Warbler,  315,  336,  338 

Bobolink,  284,  336,  340 

Bob-white,  256,  336,  337 

Bohemian  Waxwing,  309,  340 

Bombycilla  cedrorum,  310 
garrula,  309 

pallidiceps,  309 

Bonaparte's  Gull,  226,  339 

Bonasa  umbellus  umbellus,  257 

Botaurinae,  241 

Botaurus  lentiginosus,  241 

Branta  canadensis  canadensis,  240 
hutchinsi,  240 

Brewer's  Blackbird,  290,  340 

Broad-winged  Hawk,  262,  335,  337 

Bronzed  Grackle,  290,  335,  338 

Brown  Creeper,  329,  337 

Brown  Thrasher,  326,  335,  338 

Bubo  virginianus  pallescens,  269 
virginianus,  269 

Buff-breasted  Sandpiper,  254,  336,  340 

Buffle-head,  237,  339 

Bunting  Indigo,  306,  336,  338 
Lazuli,  306 


Bunting,  Snow,  293,  340 
Burrowing  Owl,  269 
Buteo  borealis  borealis,  261 
calurus,  262 
harlani,  262 
krideri,  2(>2 
lineatus  lineatus,  262 
platypterus,  263 
swainsoni,  263 
Buteonidae,  259 
Butorides  virescens  virescens,  243 


Calcarius  lapponicus  lapponicus,  293 

ornatus,  294 

pictus,  293 

Calidris  leucophea,  252 
Campephilus  principalis,  272 
Canada  Goose,  240,  335,  337,  338 
Canada  Warbler,  324,  340 
Canutus  canutus  rufus,  249 
Canvas-back,  235,  335,  339 
Cape  May  Warbler,  317,  336,  340 
Caprimulgi,  275 
Caprimulgidae,  275 
Cardinal,  304,  336,  338 
Cardinalis  cardinalis  cardinalis,  304 
Carolina  Paroquet,  270,  338 
Carolina  Wren,  327,  336,  338 
Carpodacus  purpureus  purpureus,  291 
Caspian  Tern,  227,  339 
Catbird,  326,  336,  338 
Cathartes  aura  septentrionalis,  259 
Cathartidae,  259 
Catoptrophorus  semipalmatus  inornatus, 

253 

semipal- 
matus, 253 

Cedar  Waxwing,  310,  337 
Centurus  carolinus,  274 
Cepphi,  224 

Cerchneis  sparvaria  sparvaria,  265 
Certhia  familiaris  americana,  329 
Certhiidae,  329 

Cerulean  Warbler,  318,  336,  338 
Ceryle  alcyon,  271 
Chaetura  pelagica,  277 
Chaeturinae,  277 


Index. 


361 


Charadriidae,  255 

Charadrius  dominicus  dominicus,  255 

Charitonetta  albeola,  237 

Chat,  Yellow-breasted,  323,  336 

Chaulelasmus  streperus,  232 

Chen  caerulescens,  239 

hyperboreus  hyperboreus,  238 
nivalis,  239 

Chestnut-collared  Longspur,  294,  340 

Chestnut-sided  Warbler,  319,  336,  340 

Chickadee,  330,  336,  338 

Long-tailed,  330,  337,  339 

Chicken,  Prairie,  257,  338 

Chimney  Swift,  277,  335,  338 

Chipping  Sparrow,  299,  335.  338 

Chondestes  grammacus  grammacus,  297 

Chordeiles  virginianus  henryi,  276 
sennetti,  277 
virginianus,  276 

Chuck-will's-widow,  275 

Cinnamon  Teal,  234,  339 

Circus  hudsonicus,  260 

Cistothorus  stellaris,  328 

Clamatores,  278 

Clangula,  clangula  americana,  236 
islandica,  236 

Clarke's  Nutcracker,  283 

Clay-colored  Sparrow,  300,  336,  340 

Cliff  Swallow,  308,  336,  338 

Coccyges,  270 

Coccyzinae,  270 

Coccyzus  americanus  americanus,  270 
erythrophthalmus,  271 

Colaptes  auratus  luteus,  274 
cafer  collaris,  274 

Colinus  virginianus  virginianus,  256 

Columbae,  258 

Columbidae,  258 

Colymbi,  223 

Colymbidae,  223 

Colymbus  holboelli,  223 

nigricollis  californicus,  223 

Common  Tern,  227,  336,  339 

Compsothlypis  americana  usneae,  316 

Connecticut  Warbler,  322,  340 

Conuropsis  carolinensis,  270 

ludoviciana,  270 

Cooper's  Hawk,  261,  335,  337 


Coot,  247,  335,  337 

Cormorant,  Double-crested,  229,  339 

Corthylo  calendula  calendula,  331 

Corvidae,  282 

Corvinae,  283 

Corvus  brachyrhynchos  brachyrhynchos, 

283 

corax  sinuatus,  283 
Coturnicops  noveboracensis,  246 
Cowbird,  284,  335,  337,  338 
Crane,  Little  Brown,  244,  339 
Sandhill,  244,  335,  339 
Whooping,  244,  339 
Creciscus  jamaicensis,  246 
Creeper,  Brown,  329,  337 
Crested  Flycatcher,  278,  336,  338 
Crossbill,  291,  337,  340 

White-winged,  291 
Crow,  283,  336,  338 
Cryptoglaux  acadia  acadia,  268 
Cuculi,  270 
Cuculidae,  270 
Cuckoo,  Black-billed,  271,  336,  337 

Yellow-billed,  270,  336,  337 
Curlew,  Eskimo,  255,  340 

.Long-billed,  254,  340 
Cyanocitta  cristata  cristata,  283 
Cygninae,  241 
Cypseli,  277 

D 
Dafila  acuta,  234 

tzitzimoa,  234 
Dendroica  aestiva  aestiva,  371 

caerulescens,  317 

castanea,  319 

cerulea,  318 

coronata,  317 

discolor,  321 

dominica  albilora,  320 

fusca, 319 

magnolia,  318 

pensylvanica,  319 

palmarum  palmarum,  321 

striata,  319 

tigrina,  317 

vigorsi,  320 

virens,  320 

Dickcissel,  306,  336,  338 
Dolichonyx  oryzivorus,  284 


362 


Trans.  Acad.  Sci.  of  St.  Louis. 


Double-crested  Cormorant,  229,  339 
Dove,  Mourning,  258,  335,  337 

.Western  Mourning,  259 
Dowitcher,  249 

Long-billed,  249,  339 
Downy  Woodpecker,  272,  336,  337 
Dryobates  pubescens  medianus,  272 

villosus,  272 
Duck,  Black,  232,  339 

Harlequin;  237 

Lesser  Scaup,  236,  335,  339 

Red-legged  Black,  232,  339 

Ring-necked,  236,  339 

Ruddy,  238,  335,  339 

Scaup,  235,  335,  339 

Wood,  235,  338,  339 
Duck  Hawk,  265,  340 
Dumetella  carolinensis,  326 


Eagle,  Bald,  264,  338,  340 

Golden,  264,  340 
Eared  Grebe,  223,  335,  339 
Ectopistes  migratorius,  258 
Egret,  242,  338 

Snowy,  243 

Egrettacandidissima  candidissima,  243 
Elanoides  forficatus,  259 
Empidonax  flaviventris,  280 
minimus,  281 
trailli  alnorum,  281 

trailli,  281 
virescens,  280 

English  Sparrow,  292,  336,  338 
Ereunetes  mauri,  251 

pusillus,  251 

Erismatura  jamaicensis,  238 
Eskimo  Curlew,  255,  340 
Euphagus  carolinus,  289 

cyanocephalus,  290 
Evening  Grosbeak,  290,  340 

F. 

Falco  columbarius  columbarius,  265 
richardsoni,  265 
mexicanus,  265 
peregrinus  anatum,  265 
sparverius  sparverius,  265 


Falcon,  Prairie,  265 

Falcones,  259 

Falconidae,  265 

Falconinae,  265 

Ferruginous  Rough-leg,  264 

Field  Sparrow,  300,  335,  337,  338 

Finch,  Purple,  291,  335,  337 

Flicker,  Northern,  274,  335,  336,  338 
Red-shafted,  274,  337 

Florida  caerulea,  243 

Florida  Gallinule,  246,  335,  337 

Flycatcher,  Acadian,  280,  336,  338 
Alder,  281,  340 
Crested,  278,  336,  338 
Least,  281,  336,  338 
Olive-sided,  280,  336,  340 
Traill's,  281,  336,  339 
Yellow-bellied,  280,  336,  340 

Forster's  Tern,  227,  336,  339 

Fox  Sparrow,  303,  335,  337 

Franklin's  Gull,  226,  335,  339 

Fringillidae,  290 

Fulica  americana,  247 

Fulicinae,  247 

Fuligulinae,  235 


Gadwell,  232,  335,  339 

Gallinae,  256 

Gallinago  delicata,  248 

Gallinula  chloropus  cachinnanus,  246 

galeata,  246 
Gallinule,  Florida,  246,  335,  337 

Purple,  246 
Gallinulinae,  246 
Gambel's  Sparrow,  298,  337 
Garrulinae,  282 
Gavia  immer,  224 
Gaviidae,  224 

Geothlypis  trichas  trichas,  323 
Gnatoatcher,  Blue  gray,  331,  335,  338 
Godwit,  Hudsonian,  252,  340 

Marbled,  252,  340 

Golden-crowned  Kinglet,  331,  335,  337 
Golden  Eagle,  264,  340 
Golden-eye,  236,  339 

Barrow's,  237,  339 


Index. 


Golden  Plover,  255,  340 
Golden-winged  Warbler,  315,  340 
Goldfinch,  292,  335,  336,  338 
Goose,  Blue,  239,  335,  339 

Canada,  240,  337,  338 
Greater  Snow,  239,  339 
Hutchins's,  240,  339 
'*•  Snow,  238,  335,  339 

White-fronted,  239,  339 
Goshawk,  261,  340 
Crackle,  Bronzed,  290,  335,  338 
Grasshopper  Sparrow,  295,  336,  338 
Gray-cheeked  Thrush,  332,  336,  340 
Great  Blue  Heron,  242,  335,  337 
Great  Horned  Owl,  269,  336,  337 
Greater  Snow  Goose,  239,  339 
Greater  Yellow-legs,  252,  335,  340 
Green  Heron,  243,  335,  337 
Green-winged  Teal,  233,  335,  337 
Grebe,  Eared,  223,  335,  339 
Holboell's,  223,  339 
Pied-billed,  223,  335,  337 
Western,  223 

Grinnell's  Water-Thrush,  321,  336,  340 
Grosbeak,  Blue,  305,  338 

Evening,  290,  340 
Rose-breasted,  305,  336,  338 
Grouse,  Ruffed,  257,  338 
Grues,  244 
Gruidae,  244 
Grus,  americana,  244 
canadensis,  244 
mexicana,  244 

Guiraca  caerulea  caerulea,  305 
Gull,  Bonaparte's,  226,  339 

Franklin's,  226,  335,  339 
Herring,  225,  339 
Laughing,  226,  339 
Ring-billed,  225,  335,  339 


Hairy  Woodpecker,  272,  336,  337 
Haliaeetus  leucocephalus  leucocephalus, 

364 

Harlan's  Hawk,  262 
Harlequin  Duck,  237 
Harris's  Sparrow,  297,  335,  337 


Hawk,  Broad-winged,  263,  335 

Cooper's,  261,  335,  337 

Duck,  265,  340 

Harlan's,  262 

Krider's,  262,  340 

Marsh,  260,  335,  337,  338 

Pigeon,  265,  340 

Red-shouldered,  262,  337 

Red-tailed,  261,  335,  336,  337 

Richardson's  Pigeon,  265 

Rough-legged,  263,  337 

Ferruginous  Rough-leg,  264 

Sharp-shinned,  260,  337 

Sparrow,  265,  336,  337 

Swainson's,  263,  340 

Western  Red-tail,  262,  337 
Helmitheros  vermivorus,  314 
Helodromas  solitarius  solitarius,  253 
Henslow's  Sparrow,  296,  335,  338 
Herelda  hyemalis,  237 
Hermit  Thrush,  333,  335,  340 
Herodias  egretta,  242 
Herodii,  241 
Herodiones,  241 
Heron,  Black-crowned  Night,  243,  335,  338 

Great  Blue,  242,  335,  337 

Green,  243,  335,  337 

Little  Blue,  243 

Yellow-crowned  Night,  243,  338 
Herring  Gull,  225,  335 
Hesperiphona  vespertina  vespertina,  290 
Hirundinidae,  307 
Hirundo  erythrogastra,  308 
Histrionicus  histrionicus,  237 
Holboell's  Grebe,  223,  339 
Hooded  Merganser,  230,  335,  337 
Hooded  Warbler,  324,  336,  338 
Horned  Lark,  282,  340 
Hoyt's  Horned  Lark,  282 
Hudsonian  Godwit,  252,  340 
Hummingbird,  Ruby-throated,  277,  336,  337 
Hutchins's  Goose,  240,  339 
Hydrochelidon  nigra  surinamensis,  228 
Hydroprogne  caspia  imperator,  227 
Hylocichla  aliciae  aliciae,  332 

fuscesens  salicicola,  332 
guttata  pallasi,  333 
mustelina,  332 
ustulata  swainsoni,  333 


364 


Trans.  Acad.  Sci.  of  St.  Louis. 


Ibides,  241 
Ibididae,  241 

Ibis,  White-faced  Glossy,  241,  339 
Icnornis  martinicus,  246 
Icteria  virens  virens,  323 
leteridae,  284 
Icterus  galbula,  289 
Icterus  spurius,  289 
Ictinia  mississippiensis,  260 
Indigo  Bunting,  306,  336,  338 
Iridoprocne  tricolor,  308 
Ivory-billed  Woodpecker,  272,  338 
Ixobrychus  exilis,  242 


Jaeger,  Long-tailed,  225 

Parasitic.  224,  339 
Pomarine,  224 
Jay,  Blue,  283,  336,  338 
Junco  aikeni,  301 

hyemalis  connectens,  301 
hyemalis,  301 
montanus,  302 
Junco,  Montana,  302,  340 
Shufeldt's,  301,  340 
Slate-colored,  301,  337 
White-winged,  301,  340 

K 

Kentucky  Warbler,  322,  336,  338 
Killdeer,  255,  335,  337 
Kingbird,  278,  336,  338 

Arkansas,  278,  340 
Kingfisher,  Belted,  271,  335,  337 
Kinglet,  Golden-crowned,  331,  335,  337 

Ruby-crowned,  331,  335,  340 
King  Rail,  245,  335,  337 
Kite,  Swallow-tailed,  259,  338,  340 

Mississippi,  260,  340 
Kittiwake,  225 
Knot,  249,  339 
Krider's  Hawk,  262,  340 


Laniidae,  311 
Lanius  borealis,  311 

ludovicianus  excubitorides,  311 
migrans,  311 


Lanivireo  flavifrons,  312 

solitarius  solitarius,  313 
Lapland  Longspur,  293,  337 
Laridae,  225 
Larinae,  225 
Lark,  Horned,  282,  340 

Hoyt's  Horned,  282 

Prairie  Horned,  282,  336,  338 
Lark  Sparrow,  297,  336,  338 
Lams  argentatus,  225 

delawarensis,  225 

franklini,  226 

Philadelphia,  226 

atricilla,  226 
Laughing  Gull,  226,  339 
Lazuli  Bunting,  306 
Least  Bittern,  242,  336,  337 
Least  Flycatcher,  281,  336,  338 
Least  Sandpiper,  251,  335,  339 
Least  Tern,  227,  336,  338,  339 
Leconte's  Sparrow,  296,  335,  340 
Lesser  Scaup  Duck,  236,  335,  339 
Limicolae,  247 
Limosa  f edoa,  252 

haemastica,  252 
Lincoln's  Sparrow,  302,  335,  337 
Little  Blue  Heron,  243 
Little  Brown  Crane,  244,  339 
Lobipes  lobatus,  247 
Long-billed  Dowitcher,  249,  339 
Long-billed  Curlew,  254,  340 
Long-eared  Owl,  267,  336,  337 
Longipennes,  224 

Longspur,  Chestnut-collared,  294,  340 
Lapland,  293,  337 
McCown's,  294 
Smith's,  293,  340 

Long-tailed  Chickadee,  330,  337,  339 
Long-tailed  Jaeger,  225 
Loon,  224,  339 
Lophodytes  cucullatus,  230 
Louisiana  Water-Thrush,  322,  335,  338 
Loxia  curvirostra  minor,  291 

leucoptera,  291 

M 

Macrochires,  275 

Macrorhamphus  griseus  griseus,  249 

griseus  scolooaceus,  249 


Index. 


365 


Magnolia  Warbler,  318,  336,  340 

Magpie,  282 

Mallard,  231,  335,  337,  338 

Marbled  Godwit,  252,  340 

Mareca  americana,  233 

Maryland  Yellow-throat,  323,  336,  338 

Marila  affinis,  236 

americana,  235 
collaris,  236 
marila,  235 
valisineria,  235 

Marsh  Hawk,  260,  335,  337,  338 
Martin,  Purple,  307,  335,  338 
McCown's  Longspur,  294 
Meadowlark,  288,  335,  337,  338 
Western,  288,  338 
Melanerpes  erythrocephalus,  273 
Melanitta  deglandi,  238 

perspicillata,  238 
Meleagridae,  258 

Meleagris  gallopavo  silvestris,  258 
Melospiza  georgiana,  303 

lincolni  lincolni,  302 
melodia  melodia,  302 
Merganser,  230,  335,  337 

Hooded,  230,  335,  337 
Red-breasted,  230,  339 
Merginae,  230 
Mergus  americanus,  230 
serrator,  230 

Micropalama  himantopus,  249 
Micropodidae,  277 
Migrant  Shrike,  311,  335,  337,  338 
Mimidae,  325 

Mimus  polyglottos  polyglottos,  325 
Mississippi  Kite,  260,  340 
Mniotilta  varia,  314 
Mniotiltidae,  314 
Mockingbird,  325,  335,  337,  338 
Molothrus  ater  ater,  284 
Montana  Junco,  302,  340 
Motacillidae,  325 
Mountain  Plover,  256 
Mourning  Dove,  258,  335,  337 
Western,  259 

Mourning  Warbler,  323,  336,  340 
Myiarchus  crinitus,  278 


Myiochanes  virens,  280 
Myrtle  Warbler,  317,  335,  337 


N 


Nannus  hiemalis  htemalis,  328 
Nashville  Warbler,  315,  336,  340 
Nettion  carolinense,  233 
Nighthawk,  276,  336,  338 

Sennet's,  277,  340 

Western,  276,  340 
Northern  Flicker,  274,  335,  336,  338 
Northern  Parula  Warbler,  316,  336,  338 
Northern  Phalarope,  247,  339 
Northern  Red-wing,  287,  337 
Northern  Shrike,  311,  337 
Nucifraga  columbiana,  283 
Numenius  americanus,  254 

borealis,  255 

Nutcracker,  Clarke's,  283 
Nuthatch,  Red-breasted,  G29,  340 

White-breasted,  329,  336,  338 
Nuttallornis  borealis,  280 
Nyctanassa  violacea,  243 
Nyctea  nyctea,  269 
Nycticorax  nycticorax  naevius,  243 


Odontophoridae,  256 
Oidemia  americana,  237 
fusca,  238 
perspicillata,  238 
Old-squaw,  237,  339 
Olive-backed  Thrush,  333,  336,  340 
Olive-sided  Flycatcher,  280,  336,  340 
Olor  buccinator,  241 

columbianus,  241 
Oporornis  agilis,  322 

formosus,  322 
Philadelphia,  323 

Orange-crowned  Warbler,  316,  336,  340 
Oriole,  Baltimore,  289,  336,  338 

Orchard,  289,  336,  338 
Orchard  Oriole,  289,  336,  338 
Oscines,  282 
Osprey,  266,  335,  338,  340 


366 


Trans.  Acad.  Sci.  of  St.  Louis. 


Otocoris  alpestris  alpestris,  282 
hoyti,  282 
praticola,  282 

Otus  asio  asio,  268 

naevius,  268 

Owl,  Barn,  266,  336,  337 
Barred,  268,  336,  337 
Burrowing,  269 
Great  Horned,  269,  336,  337 
Long-eared,  267,  336,  337 
Saw-whet,  268,  340 
Screech,  268,  336,  337 
Short-eared,  267,  337,  338 
Snowy,  269,  340 
Western  Horned,  269,  339 

Ovenbird,  321,  336,  338 

Oxyechus  vociferus,  255 


Palm  Warbler,  321,  336,  340 

Paludicolae,  244 

Pandion  haliaetos  carolinensis,  266 

Pandionidae,  266 

Parasitic  Jaeger,  224,  339 

Paridae,  330 

Paroquet,  Carolina,  270,  338 

Parula,  Warbler,  Northern,  316,  336 

Passenger  Pigeon,  258 

Passer  domesticus,  292 

hostilis,  292 

Passerculus  sandwichensis  alaudinus,  295 

savanna,  294 

Passerella  iliaca  iliaoa,  303 

Passers,  278 

Passerherbulus  henslowi  henslow),  296 

lecontei,  296 
Passerina  amoena,  306 
cyanea,  306 

Pectoral  Sandpiper,  250,  335,  339 
Peleoanidae,  229 
Pelecanus  erythrorhynchos,  229 
Pelican,  White,  229,  335,  339 
Pelidna  alpina  sakhalina,  251 
Penthestes  atricapillus  atricapillus,  330 

septentrionalis,  330 
Petrochelidon  albif rons  albif rons,  308 
lunifrons  lunifrons,  308 


Pewee,  Wood,  280,  336,  338 
Phalacrocoracidae,  229 
Phalacrocorax  auritus  auritus,  229 
Phalaenoptilus  nuttalli  nuttalli,  276 
Phalarope,  Northern,  247,  339 
Red,  247,  339 
Wilson's,  248,  336,  339 
Phalaropodidae,  247 
Phalaropus  fulicarius,  247 
Phasiani,  256 

Philadelphia  Vireo,  312,  336,  340 
Philohela  minor,  248 
Phloeotomus  pileatus  abieticola,  273 
Phoebe,  279,  335,  338 
Pica  pica  hudsonia,  282 
Pici,  272 
Picidae,  272 

Pied-billed  Grebe,  223,  335,  337 
Pigeon  Hawk,  265,  340 
Pigeon,  Passenger,  258 
Pileated  Woodpecker,  273,  338 
Pileolated  Warbler,  324,  340 
Pine  Siskin,  292,  335,  337 
Pine  Warbler,  320,  340 
Pintail,  234,  335,  339 

Pipilo  erythrophthalmus  erythrophthal- 

mus,  304 

maculatus  aroticus,  304 
Piping  Plover,  256,  340 
Pipit,  325,  335,  340 

Sprague's,  325,  340 
Piranga  erythromelas,  307 
Piranga  rubra  rubra,  307 
Pisobia  bairdi,  250 

fuscicollis,  250 
maculata,  250 
minutilla,  251 

Planesticus  migratorius  migratorius,  333 
Plectrophenax  nivalis  nivalis,  293 
Plegadis  guarauna,  241 
Plover,  Black-bellied,  255,  340 

Golden,  255,  340 

Mountain,  256 

Piping,  256,  340 

Semipalmated,  256,  336,  340 

Upland,  253,  336,  338,  340 
Podasocys  montanus,  256 
Podilymbus  podiceps,  223 


Index. 


367 


Polioptilinae,  331 

Poliontilla  caerulea  caerulea,  331 

Pomarine  Jaeger,  224 

Poocetes  gramineus  gramineus,  294 

Poor-will,  276,  338 

Porzana  Carolina,  245 

Prairie  Chicken,  257,  338 

Prairie  Falcon,  265 

Prairie  Horned  Lark,  282,  336,  338 

Prairie  Marsh  Wren,  328,  335,  338 

Prairie  Warbler,  321,  340 

Progne  subis  subis,  307 

Prothonotaria  citrea,  314 

Prothonotary  Warbler,  314,  336,  338 

Psittacidae,  270 

Psittaci,  270 

Purple  Finch,  291,  335,  337 

Purple  Gallinule,  246 

Purple  Martin,  307,  335,  338 

Purple  Sandpiper,  250 

Pygopodes,  223 


Querquedula  cyanoptera,  234 

diseors,  233 
Quiscalus  quiscula  aeneus,  290 


Rail  Black,  246,  339 

King,  245,  335,  337 

Virginia,  245,  335,  337 

Yellow,  246,  339 
Ralli,  245 
Rallidae,  245 
Rallinae,  245 
Rallus  elegans,  245 

virginianus,  245 
Raptores,  259 
Raven,  283,  338 
Recurvirostra  americana,  248 
Recurvirostridae,  248 
Red  Phalarope,  247,  339 
Red-backed  Sandpiper,  251,  339 
Red-bellied  Woodpecker,  274,  336,  337 
Red-breasted  Merganser,  230,  339 
Red-breasted  Nuthatch,  329,  340 
Red-eyed  Vireo,  312,  336,  338 


Redhead,  235,  335,  339 
Red-headed  Woodpecker,  273,  336,  337 
Red-legged  Black  Duck,  232,  339 
Redpoll,  291,  340 
Redrafted  Flicker,  274,  337 
Red-shouldered  Hawk,  262,  337 
Redstart,  324,  336 
Red-tailed  Hawk,  261,  335,  336,  337 
Western,  262,  337 

Red-winged  Blackbird,  285,  335,  336,  338 
Regulinae,  331 
Regulus  calendula  calendula,  331 

satrapa  satrapa,  331 
Rhynchophanes  mccowni,  294 
Richardson's  Pigeon  Hawk,  265 
Ring-billed  Gull,  225,  335,  339 
Ring-necked  Duck,  236,  339 
Riparia  riparia,  309 
Rissa  tridactyla  tridactyla,  225 
Robin,  333,  336,  338 
Rosefbreasted  Grosbeak,  305,  336,  338 
Rough-legged  Hawk,  263,  337 
Rough-winged  Swallow,  310,  335,  338 
Ruby-crowned  Kinglet,  331,  335,  340 
Ruby4hroated  Hummingbird,  277,  336,  337 
Ruddy  Duck,  238,  335,  339 
Ruddy  Turnstone,  256,  340 
Ruffed  Grouse,  257,  338 
Rusty  Blackbird,  289,  335,  337 


Sanderling,  252,  340 

Sandhill  Crane,  244,  335,  339 

Sandpiper,  Baird's,  250,  335.  339 

Buff-breasted,  254.  336,  340 
Least,  251,  335,  339 
Pectoral,  250,  335,  339 
Purple,  250 
Red-backed,  251,  339 
Semipalmated,  251,  335,  340 
Solitary,  253,  336,  340 
Spotted,  254,  336,  337 
Stilt,  249,  339 
Western,  251,  340 
White-ramped,  250,  339 

Sapsucker,  Yellow-bellied,  273,  335,  337 

Sarcorhamphi,  259 


368 


Trans.  Acad.  Sci.  of  St.  Louis. 


Savannah  Sparrow,  294,  335.  338 
Western,  295 
Saw-whet  Owl,  268,  340 
Sayorais  phoebe,  279 
Scarlet  Tanager,  307,  336,  338 
Scaup  Duck,  235,  335,  339 
Scolopacidae,  248 
Scoter,  237,  339 

Surf,  238,  339 
White-winged,  238 
Screech  Owl,  268,  336,  337 
Seiurus  aurocapillus,  321 
motacilla,  322 

noveboracensis  notabilis,  321 
Semipalmated  Plover,  256,  336,  340 
Semipalmater  Sandpiper,  251,  335,  340 
Sennett's  Nighthawk,  277,  340 
Setochalcis  vocifera  vocifera,  275 
Setophaga  ruticilla,  324 
Sharp-shinned  Hawk,  260,  337 
Short-billed  Marsh  Wren,  328,  335,  338 
Short-eared  Owl,  267,  337,  338 
Shoveller,  234,  335,  338,  339 
Shrike,  Migrant,  311,  335,  337,  338 
Northern,  311,  337 
White-rumped,  311 
Shufeldt's  Junco,  301,  340 
Sialia  sialis  sialis,  334 
Siskin,  Pine,  292,  335,  337 
Sitta  canadensis,  329 

carolinensis  carolinensis,  329 
Sittidae,  329 

Slate-colored  Junco,  301,  337 
Smith's  Longspur,  293,  340 
Snipe,  Wilson's,  248,  335,  339 
Snow  Bunting,  293,  340 
Snow  Goose,  238,  335,  339 
Snowy  Egret,  243 
Snowy  Owl,  269,  340 
Solitary  Sandpiper,  253,  336,  340 
Song  Sparrow,  302,  335,  337,  338 
Sora,  245,  335,  337 
Sparrow,  Baird's,  295,  340 

Chipping,  299,  335,  338 
Clay-colored,  300,  336,  340 
English,  292,  336,  338 
Field,  300,  335,  337,  338 
Western,  300,  340 


Fox,  303,  335,  337 
Gambel's,  298,  ,337 
Grasshopper,  295,  336,  338 

Western,  296,  340 
Harris's,  297,  335,  337 
Henslow's,  296,  335,  338 
Lark,  297,  336,  338 
Leconte's,  296,  335,  340 
Lincoln's,  302,  33£,  337 
Savannah,  294,  335,  338 

Western,  295,  340 
Song,  302,  335,  337,  338 
Swamp,  303,  335,  337 
Tree,  299,  337 

Western,  299,  340 
Vesper,  294,  335,  338 
White-crowned,  2^8,  335,  337 
White-throated,  298,  335,  340 
Sparrow  Hawk,  265,  336,  337 
Spatula  clypeata,  234 
Speotyto  cunicularia  hypogaea,  269 
Sphyrapicus  varius  varius,  273 
Spinus  pinus,  192 
Spiza  americana,  306 
Spizella  monticola  monticola,  299 
ochracea,  299 
pallida,  300 

passerina  passerina,  299 
pusilla  arenacea,  300 

pusilla,  300 

Spotted  Sandpiper,  254,  336,  337 
Sprague's  Pipit,  325,  340 
Squatarola  squatarola,  255 

cynosurae,  255 
Steganopodes,  228 
Steganopos  tricolor,  248 
Stelgidopteryx  serripennis,  309 
Stercorariidae,  224 
Stercorarius  longicaudus,  225 
parasiticus,  224 
pomarinus,  224 
Sterna  antillarum,  227 
caspia,  227 
forsteri,  227 
hirundo,  227 
Sturnella  magna  magna,  288 

neglecta,  288 
Sterninae,  227 


Index. 


369 


Sternula  antillarum  antillarum,  227 

Stilt  Sandpiper,  249,  339 

Stringes,  266 

Strigidae,  267 

Strix  varia  varia,  268 

Summer  Tanager,  307,  336,  338 

Surf  Scoter,  238,  339 

Swainson's  Hawk,  263,  340 

Swallow,  Bank,  309,  336,  338 

Bam,  308,  335,  338 

Cliff,  308,  336,  338 

Rough-winged,  309,  335,  338 

Tree,  308,  336,  340 
Swallow-tailed  Kite,  259,  338,  340 
Swamp  Sparrow,  303,  335,  337 
Swan,  Trumpeter,  241,  339 
Whistling,  241,  339 
Swift,  Chimney,  277,  335,  338 
Sycamore  Warbler,  320,  335,  339 
Sylviidae,  331 


Tanager,  Scarlet,  307,  336,  338 

Summer,  307,  336,  338 
Tangaridae,  307 
Teal,  Blue-winged,  233,  337 
Cinnamon,  234,  339 
Green-winged,  233,  335,  337 
Telnmtodytes  pulustris  iliaeas,  328 
Tennessee  Warbler,  316,  336,  340 
Tern,  Black,  228,  336,  337 
Caspian,  227,  339 
Common,  227,  336,  339 
Forster's,  227,  336,  339 
Least.  227,  336,  338,  339 
Tetraonidae,  257 
Thick-billed  Red-wing,  286,  337 
Thrasher,  Brown,  326,  335,  338 
Thrush,  Gray-cheeked,  332,  336,  340 
Hermit,  333,  335,  340 
Olive-backed,  333,  336,  340 
Willow,  332,  336 
Wood,  332,  336,  338 
Thryomanes  bewicki  bewicki,  327 
Thryothorus  ludovicianus  ludovi- 

cianus,  327 
Tringa  canutus,  249 
Titmouse,  Tufted,  330,  336,  338 


Totanus  flavipes,  252 

melanoleucus,  252 
Towhee,  304,  335,  337,  338 

.Arctic,  304,  340 
Toxostoma  rufum,  326 
Traill's  Flycatcher,  281,  336,  339 
Tree  Sparrow,  299,  337 

Western,  299 

Tree  Swallow,  308,  336,  340 
Trochili,  277 
Trochilidae,  277 

Troglodytes  aedon  parkmani,  327 
Troglodytidae,  327 
Trumpeter  Swan,  241,  339 
Tryngites  subruficollis,  254 
Tufted  Titmouse,  330,  336,  338 
Turdidae,  332 
Turninae,  332 

Turkey  Vulture,  259,  335,  337 
Turkey,  Wild,  258,  338 
Turnstone,  Ruddy,  256,  340 
Tympanuchus  americanus  americanus,  257 
Tyrannidae,  278 
Tyrannus  tyrannus,  278 
verticalis,  278 
Tyto  alba  pratincola,  266 

U 

Upland  Plover,  253,  336,  338,  340 
V 

Vermivora,  celata  celata,  316 
chrysoptera,  315 
peregrina,  316 
pinus,  315 

rubricapilla  rubricapilla,  315 
Vesper  Sparrow,  294,  335,  338 
Vireo  belli  belli,  313 

griseus  griseus,  313 
Vireo,  Bell's,  313,  336,  338 

Blue-headed,  313,  336,  340 
Philadelphia,  312,  336,  340 
Red-eyed,  312,  336,  338 
Warbling,  312,  336,  338 
White-eyed,  313,  336,  338 
Yellow-throated,  312,  336,  338 


370 


Trans.  Acad.  Sci.  of  St.  Louis. 


Vireonidae,  312 
Vireosylva  gilva  gilva,  312 

olivacea,  312 

philadelphica,  312 
Virginia  Rail,  245,  335,  337 
Vulture,  Turkey,  259,  335,  337 

W 

Warbler,  Bay-breasted,  319,  340 

Blackburnian,  319,  336,  340 
Black-poll,  319,  336,  340 
Black4hroated  Blue,  317 
Black-throated  Green,  320,  336, 

340 

Black  and  White,  314,  336,  338 
Blue-winged,  315,  336,  338 
Canada,  324,  340 
Cape  May,  317,  336,  340 
Cerulean,  318,  336,  338 
Chestnut-sided,  319,  336,  340 
Connecticut,  322,  340 
Golden-winged,  315,  340 
Hooded,  324,  336,  338 
Kentucky,  322,  336,  338 
Magnolia,  318,  336,  340 
Mourning,  323,  336,  340 
Myrtle,  317,  335,  337 
Nashville,  315,  336,  340 
Northern  Parula,  316,  336,  338 
Orange-crowned,  316,  336,  340 
Palm,  321,  336,  340 
Pileolated,  324,  340 
Pine,  320,  340 
Prairie,  321,  340 
Prothonotary,  314,  336,  ?38 
Sycamore,  320,  335,  339 
Tennessee,  316,  336,  340 
Wilson's,  324,  336,  340 
Worm-eating,  314,  336,  338 
Yellow,  317,  336,  338 

Warbling  Vireo,  312,  336,  338 

Water-Thrush,  Grinnell's,  321,  336,  340 
Louisiana,  322,  335,  338 

Water-Turkey,  228 

Waxwing,  Bohemian,  309,  340 
Cedar,  310,  337 

Western  Field  Sparrow,  300,  340 

Western  Grasshopper  Sparrow,  296,  340 


Western  Grebe,  223 

Western  Horned  Owl,  269,  339 

Western  House  Wren,  327,  335,  338 

Western  Meadowlark,  288,  338 

Western  Mourning  Dove,  259 

Western  Nighthawk,  276,  340 

Western  Red-tail,  262,  337 

Western  Sandpiper,  251,  340 

Western  Savannah  Sparrow,  295,  340 

Western  Tree  Sparrow,  299,  340 

Wistern  Willet,  253,  340 

Whip-poor-will,  275,  336,  338 

Whistling  Swan,  241,  339 

White-breasted  Nuthatch,  329,  336,  338 

White-crowned  Sparrow,  298,  335,  337 

Whitereyed  Vireo,  313,  336,  338 

White-faced  Glossy  Ibis,  241,  339 

White-fronted  Goose,  239,  335,  330 

White  Pelican,  229,  335,  339 

White-rumped  Sandpiper,  250,  339 

White-rumped  Shrike,  311 

White-throated  Sparrow,  298,  335,  340 

White-winged  Crossbill,  291,  340 

White-winged  Junco,  301,  340 

White- winged  Scoter,  238 

Whooping  Crane,  244,  339 

Wild  Turkey,  258,  338 

Willet,  253,  340 

Western,  253,  340 

Willow  Thrush,  332,  336,  340 

Wilsonia  canadensis,  324 
citrina,  324 
pusilla  pileolata,  324 
pusilla,  324 

Wilson's  Phalarope,  248,  336,  339 

Wilson's  Snipe,  248,  335,  339 

Wilson's  Warbler,  324,  336,  340 

Winter  Wren,  328,  337 

Woodcock,  248,  338,  339 

Wood  Duck,  235,  338,  339 

Woodpecker,  Downy,  272,  336,  337 
Hairy,  272,  336,  337 
Ivory-billed,  272,  338 
Northern  Pileated,  273,  338 
Red-bellied,  274,  336,  337 
Red-headed,  273,  336,  337 

Wood  Pewee,  280,  336,  338 

Wood  Thrush,  332,  336,  338 

Worm-eating  Warbler,  314,  336,  338 


Index. 


371 


Wren,  Bewick's,  327 

Carolina,  327,  336,  338 
Prairie  Marsh,  328,  335,  338 
Short-billed  Marsh,  328,  335,  338 
Western  House,  327,  335,  338 
Winter,  328,  337 


Yellow-headed  Blackbird,  284,  335,  338 
Yellow-legs,  252,  335,  340 

Greater,  252,  335,  340 
Yellow  Rail,  246,  339 
Yellow-throat,  Maryland,  323,  336,  338 
Yellow-throated  Vireo,  312,  336,  338 
Yellow  Warbler,  317,  336,  338 


Xanthocephalus  xanthocephalus,  284 
Y 

Yellow-bellied  Flycatcher,  280,  336,  340 
Yellow-bellied  Sapsucker,  273,  335,  337 
Yellow-billed  Cuckoo,  270,  336,  337 
Yellow-breasted  Chat,  323,  336,  338 
Yellow-crowned  Night  Heron,  243,  338 


Zamelodia  ludoviciana,  305 
Zenaidura  macroura  carolinensis,  258 
marginella,  259 
Zonotrichia  albicollis,  298 

leucophrys  gambeli,  298 

leucophrys,  298 
querula,  297 


Issued  February  27,  1919 


14  DAY  USE 

RETURN  TO  DESK  FROM  WHICH  ARROWED 


This  book  is  due  on  the  last  date  stamped  bellow,  or 

on  the  date  to  which  renewed. 
Renewed  books  are  subject  to  immediate  recall. 

iELF 


LD  21-100m-6,'56 
(B9311slO)476 


General  Library     _ 
University  of  California 
Berkeley 


